Big Country (Leo)

BALENBOUCHE ESTATE, CHOISEUL, ST. LUCIA

2009-05-07T20:22:00.004-06:00

BALENBOUCHE ESTATE
CHOISEUL, ST. LUCIA

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY, AVERAGE from 1 to 5: 1

DESCRIPTION:

Balenbouche Estate is located 3 km south of Chouseul and easily accessible by any public bus on the Choiseul route to/from Vieux Fort. It is a beautiful 70 acre former sugar plantation and has been transformed into a Heritage Tourism Site, eco-lodge, and organic farm and can accommodate up to 14 guests. The plantation house is nearly 200 years old and holds great history within. One of the key attractions is the ruined sugar mill and processing buildings. They are some of the best preserved in all of St. Lucia and are very interesting.

Balenbouche hosts events such as weddings and yoga retreats year round. At Balenbouche you can really see what life was like in St. Lucia hundreds of years ago. There are also a few beaches on the property.

Balenbouche is beginning to host farmers and flee markets on Saturday mornings. These occur generally on the last Saturday of the month from 8am-12pm, but call to inquire in advance.

Phone number: 455-1244

For more information visit: http://www.balenbouche.com/

PEACE CORPS PROCEDURE:
-Call your APCD to inform them of your whereabouts if you are out of your community overnight, and again upon returning.

TESTIMONIALS:

TAMERON EATON, EC 76
Balenbouche is a very beautiful former sugar plantation located right on the highway in Choiseul. Between the plantation house, sugar manufacturing ruins, beaches, and the manicured grounds, it is a must see. The estate holds a lot of history dating back to the Caribs and Arawaks and is owned and op erated by great people who love PCV’s. They offer PC rates if they aren’t booked, so if family is coming down give them a call and stay in one of their villas.

Aside from renting villas and giving tours, they also sell handmade jewelry made from local materials. We have discussed camping on the grounds but haven’t done it yet. All you would have to do is ask Uta, the manager.

FROG’S DIVING, RODNEY BAY, GROS ISLET, ST. LUCIA

2009-05-07T19:33:00.006-06:00

FROG’S DIVING, RODNEY BAY
GROS ISLET, ST. LUCIA

DESCRIPTION:

Frog’s Diving, located in Rodney Bay at Harmony Suites (adjacent to The Edge Restaurant), offers special discounted rates to all Peace Corps Volunteers.

The required PADI Open Water Certification, including equipment rentals, materials ($57.50US), and the necessary 4 dives costs $825EC.

The PADI Advanced Open Water Certification, including equipment rentals, materials and 5 dives (navigation and deep dives + 3 other specialty dives to choose from) costs $470EC. An additional cost of $5US/fuel charge and $5US/marina park fees (or $15US/annual fee) per dive, brings the total to apx. $550EC.

Two-tank dives for all certified divers is $150EC. Because of the northern location of Frog’s Dive Shop and the southern location of the dive spots, there is no discounted single-tank dive because of the high fuel costs incurred in getting to the diving locations.

Contact Tommy de Nobrega, Diver Master and Frog’s owner, for details and to make reservations. (758) 458-0798 (office), (758) 715-7794 (cell), tee-j@candw.lc

Check out www.frogsdiving.com for more details

PEACE CORPS PROCEDURE:
Peace Corps Eastern Caribbean Volunteer Policies and Procedures Handbook, pp 20-21
-Volunteers who wish to engage in recreational scuba diving while on the islands must adhere to the recommended international standards for safe diving. Those without diving certifications must gain certification through an internationally-recognized certification organization before diving. There is an effort underway to establish decompression chambers to treat diving accidents on some of the Eastern Caribbean island nations where Peace Corps operates. At this point there is a functioning facility on Dominica. There is a facility to treat divers is at La Menard Hospital in Martinique, Phone 596-55-2346.

Volunteers must adhere to the following basic diving rules and precautions at all times:

Notify your APCD and PCMO of your intention to dive while in the Eastern Caribbean. Present your certification card to the APCD and PCMO
Request information on the location of the nearest decompression chamber.
Refrain from using alcohol, smoking or using behavior-modifying drugs before and
after diving.
Stay healthy and fit for diving—eat right and rest well.
Have approval for diving through a medical evaluation by a doctor.
Be recently trained in first aid and CPR and/or make sure your guide, dive master is.
Maintain your dive skills. If you have not dived in 12 months or more, take a refresher course before starting again.
Always dive with a buddy and a dive master. Never ever dive alone.
Never exceed recreational dive limits. Always plan for no decompression diving.
Carry accident insurance from the Diver’s Alert Network (DAN).

PIGEON ISLAND NATIONAL PARK, GROS ISLET, ST. LUCIA

2009-05-07T19:12:00.004-06:00

PIGEON ISLAND NATIONAL PARK
GROS ISLET, ST. LUCIA

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY, AVERAGE from 1 to 5:2

DESCRIPTION:

Located north of Gros Islet, Pigeon Island National Historic Park features a 45-acre spot that is well visited for its views of northern St. Lucia. There hiking trails to the WWII fort, a viewpoint, and beaches. From the viewpoint you can see the Caribbean and the Atlantic, which features beautiful shades of blue with many yachts throughout the Sandals area bay. A museum and interpretive centre are maintained with an old kitchen and military barrack nearby. Besides the history of the Arawaks, the Brigands, and WWII, Pigeon Island is simply a nice place to spend the day, with beaches in the park and outside.

Getting to and from Pigeon Point is not easy. The Gros Islet bus from Castries ends in the village of Gros Islet ($2.50EC from Castries), directly in front of the Catholic cathedral. Make your way to the ocean’s edge and follow the apx. 2 mile path that leads to Pigeon Island. You can also pay a bus driver a few extra dollars to drop you.

The park itself is only EC$5 if you state you are a volunteer and $5US otherwise. Captain’s Cellar Pub is located on the island and has inexpensive and good food.

PEACE CORPS PROCEDURE:
-ALWAYS travel with at least one partner, preferably two.

TESTIMONIALS:

JESSICA WUBBENHORST, EC77, April 22, 2008
A great place to go for a relaxing day and some sight seeing. It is inexpen sive to get into the park and there is an easy walk up to a fort that gives you a great view of Rodney Bay. There are good places to eat. Great place to go and spend the entire day.

HAILEY THOMPSON, EC77, April 22, 2008
Pigeon Point is one of the prettiest places on the island. It has history,
scenery, a beach and beautiful views!

SAM SHOPINSKI, EC77, March 13, 2008
Pigeon Island is a great place to spend a lazy day off, with decent beaches and good views. Getting there is easy but out is a pain. This especially is a good place to visit with friends and family, with spectacular views looking south of both the sea and ocean split by the manmade isthmus.

TREETOP ADVENTURE PARK, DENNERY, ST. LUCIA

2009-05-04T00:13:00.004-06:00

TREETOP ADVENTURE PARK, DENNERY, ST. LUCIA

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY, AVERAGE from 1 to 5: 1

DESCRIPTION:

The Treetop Adventure Park is located apx. 3 miles off the highway running through Dennery. Castries to Dennery buses costs $4EC, but there is no public transportation that leads from the highway to the zip lining course. The road is frequented by residence and farmers, so hitching inland won’t be much difficulty.

Harnessed into a steel cable that stretches through the rainforest, your zip lining experience is as unique as you will find in St. Lucia. As of May 2008, there are 8 different zip lines, with 3 more under construction. Your equipment such as helmet, harness and gloves are all provided.

Wear close toed shoes that won’t fall off as you lip through the forest.
Short sleeved shirts and pants work fine.

The course takes anywhere from 35-45 minutes, depending on your group size.

The advertised price for the zip lines is $65US, but a Peace Corps and St. Lucian discount is offered at $50EC. Call ahead to let them know that you are coming so there is no confusion of the price you’ll be required to pay.

Call # (758) 453-4952 for reservations and to confirm your rate

PEACE CORPS PROCEDURE:
-ALWAYS hike with at least one partner, preferably two. The access road to the adventure park is well traveled, but better suited with at least one other person.

TESTIMONIALS:

NICHOLAS KLINGER, EC 76
The best $50EC you can spend in St. Lucia. A fantastic experience that gives you an incredible perspective of Dennery’s rainforests and St. Lucia’s habitat. With time to spare, make a trip apx. 200 yards up the main road to the Dennery Waterall. A beautiful place to take a dip and relax after your zip lining tour is complet

DENNERY FISH FIESTA, DENNERY, ST. LUCIA

2009-05-04T00:03:00.003-06:00

DENNERY FISH FIESTA, DENNERY, ST. LUCIA

DESCRIPTION:

Dennery is a fishing village nestled in a valley on the East Coast of St. Lucia. There is no more beautiful sight on the island than looking out over Dennery from the overlook on the highway just south of the village. The village looks beautiful and peaceful, but every Saturday night it comes to life down at the beach.

The Fish Fiesta starts around 4 o’clock on Saturday afternoon and doesn’t close up until 2 o’clock in the morning. A dozen or so tents line the beach as the DJ blast tunes that are sometimes audible all the way up at the highway. Vehicle access is limited, so if you have your own vehicle, you may have to park and walk a few blocks. Minibuses become more scarce as the hour hand moves around, so if you catch a bus to the fiesta, you should have a place to stay or a cab ride lined up to get you home. If you do happen to get a ride to Dennery on a minibus, it will most likely stay on the highway instead of driving through the village. You’ll need to tell the driver you are stopping at Victoria Street, just across the street from the bus stop. Walk all the way down Victoria. When you get close to the beach, you will see and hear everyone.

The food is delicious and the drinks are strong. Prices are reasonable, although they will vary. Sometimes the prices will go up if the fishing has not been good, and some fish are sold by the pound.

The music is very loud, so it is recommended for those people who enjoy a club/dancehall type atmosphere. Stay near the tents – along the water and over by the boats are places where people go to smoke and sometimes, possibly, do harder drugs. Expect to be asked for money by one or more of the local vagrants.

Cell phone coverage all along the beach.

PEACE CORPS PROCEDURE:
-Call your APCD to inform them of your whereabouts if you are out of your community overnight, and again upon returning.
-Follow standard safety and security procedures.
-Know your limits when it comes to alcohol consumption.

TESTIMONIALS:

GREGORY MEVES, EC 77
The Dennery Fish Fiesta is the best night of the week for me. I love meeting up with friends and walking down to the beach to have a few drinks and check out the local scenery, especially in the summertime. The music is great, the dancing is nice and whenever there is a sponsored event, everything I just said gets doubled.

ANSE-LA-RAYE FISH FRY, ANSE-LA-RAYE, ST. LUCIA

2009-05-03T23:57:00.003-06:00

ANSE-LA-RAYE FISH FRY, ANSE-LA-RAYE, ST. LUCIA

DESCRIPTION:

Every Friday night the village of Anse-la-Raye comes alive with the aromas of seasoned red snapper, lambi, lobster and bakes sizzling from the grill, coolers of ice cold Piton lining the street and the sounds of soca and calypso echoing from the hi-fi. Located along Front Street, two blocks west of the highway running down the western coast of the island, the Anse-la-Raye Friday Night Fish Fry is the premier street party in all of St. Lucia and has become internationally recognized with features on BBC World and The Food Network.

Made up of twenty-five vendors, the Anse-la-Raye Vendors Association and its Friday night event is the main employer and economic stimulus in this rural fishing village on the coast of the Caribbean sea. Vendors sell arts and craft, drinks and seafood cuisine including an assortment of pot and jack fish, crab backs, shrimp, lobster, fish cakes, bakes, dahl and provisions.

Vendors begin setting up in the early afternoon with activity commencing around sundown. Tourists from surrounding hotels arrive in the early evening, with Lucians from all of the island typically arriving in the later hours. Tables and chairs can at times be at a premium as the night progresses, but the atmosphere and ambiance of Anse-la-Raye only increases as the evening continues.

The first Friday of every month is sponsored by St. Lucia Distillers, promising live entertainment from local artists. The remaining Fridays typically have DJ music, with an occasional sponsorship from Piton Brewery. Karaoke runs every Friday, just off Front Street along the village square.

Transportation from Castries to Anse-la-Raye is $3EC, with the last bus leaving ALR bus stop along Bridge Street no later than 7:00PM. Private transportation is your only option returning home,. There are always taxis for hire at the event, though they can be very pricey, so plan accordingly.

PEACE CORPS PROCEDURE:
-Call your APCD to inform them of your whereabouts if you are out of your community overnight, and again upon returning.
-Follow standard safety and security procedures.
-Know your limits when it comes to alcohol consumption.

TESTIMONIALS:

NICHOLAS KLINGER, EC 76
An evening spent along the waterfront in Anse-la-Raye is the perfect event to soak in the St. Lucian culture . Arrive around 8 o’clock for a good mix of tourists and locals, and watch the crowds gather as many make their way into the Moonshine Disco later in the evening. The food is good but can be rather expensive, so ALYWAYS ask the price before placing your order. Check out the Fish Fry event t-shirts, the main source of revenue for the Association and a great souvenir.

AARON DOLL, EC 76
Damn Good Time. Lots of local crafts, be sure to check out the paintings. Pitons are cold and the karaoke is always hot. The Dicso scene is not for me, but the Hi-Fi on the street always provides quality entertainment. I have been to the Fish Fry more times than I can remember. This is a must see for tourist or PCV.

SANDY BEACH, VIEUX FORT, ST. LUCIA

2009-05-03T23:46:00.003-06:00

SANDY BEACH, VIEUX FORT, ST. LUCIA

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY, AVERAGE from 1 to 5: 1

DESCRIPTION:

Sandy Beach is located in Vieux Fort, just outside of the center of town. If you are in your own vehicle, there is parking at the beach, however if you are coming down the East Coast of the island on a minibus, access to the beach is just a “stopping here, driver” shout away as you drive around the airport. If you are coming down the West Coast of the island, it will be easier, faster and cheaper for you to walk the mile than taking a bus. Directions are easy, find the round-a-bout in the center of town and follow the highway east. You can’t miss it.

Sandy Beach is a wonderful sliver of paradise. Nestled a mere mile from the second largest city in St. Lucia, Sandy Beach stretches for about a mile and rarely will you encounter a crowd. The main attraction to Sandy Beach is the surfing. Not surfing like surfboards and big waves, but kite surfing and windsurfing. Sandy Beach has been listed as one of the top places for kite surfing in the world.

Since Sandy Beach is on the Atlantic side of St. Lucia, it has the potential for some rougher seas, but a decent swimmer should be alright so long as they pay attention. The beach provides a nice view of Maria Island and a quaint lighthouse on the peninsula at the southernmost point of the island. There are several guesthouses/restaurants along the beach where you can grab a burger and a Piton.

Cell phone coverage all along the beach.

PEACE CORPS PROCEDURE:
-Wear sunscreen

-Don’t swim too far out, as currents can be strong

_If you step on sea urchin have another Peace Corps volunteer pee on your foot.

TESTIMONIALS:

GREGORY MEVES, EC 77
Sandy Beach is a dream of a place. It’s perfect for relaxing when Peace Corps life gets a little too stressful. And between the beautiful water, gorgeous views, food and drinks at The Reef and the occasional French women who think they are sunbathing on the Mediterranean, a good time is sure to be had by all.

JESSICA WUBBENHORST, EC77
I love coming down to Sandy Beach! It’s easy to get to and there is a great restaurant that has very good food and drinks. Nothing beats laying out in the St. Lucian sun!

GRAND ANSE BEACH, DES BARRAS, ST. LUCIA

2009-05-03T23:40:00.004-06:00

GRAND ANSE BEACH,DES BARRAS, ST. LUCIA

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY, AVERAGE 1 to 5: 2

DESCRIPTION:

Grand Anse Beach is located on the North East of St. Lucia near the mountain community of Des Barras and is one of the few beaches in the world that the endangered Leatherback turtle along with a couple other species of turtles lay their eggs. This is seasonal and usually occurs between the months of March and August, usually at night. The beach is about a mile long and very isolated. The sea is very rough as it is on the east coast and swimming/snorkeling is not recommended, but there is a 40 yd. wide sandbar that runs the length of the beach that you can float in. The only problem with this beautiful beach is its location, but if you can get there it is well worth it.

A 4x4 vehicle is a must to get down the very old dirt road. It is possible to walk down the road on foot but it is a very long way; apx. 4 miles. Once you get to the beach there are a couple of great camping spots (unofficial) where you will have shelter from the wind.
There is no fresh water available, so bring plenty.

The Tourism Association of Des Barras offers “turtle watching” tour packages for $50EC per person not including food or transport in which they bring you and your party down to the beach in 4x4’s, set up camp, lead an all night turtle watching expedition, then break down camp the next morning and drive you out. It is recommended, although you can do it on your own if you have a vehicle, or can get a public bus to take you to the beginning of the dirt road, then are willing to hike the distance down to the beach.

Very limited cell phone reception on the beach. Contact: Aloysius at (758) 717-1653

PEACE CORPS PROCEDURE:
-Call your APCD to inform them that you’ll be overnighting out of site and again upon returning safely to town.

-ALWAYS camp with at least one other person, preferably two.

-ALWAYS camp with at least one partner, preferably two.

TESTIMONIALS:

TAMERON EATON, EC76
A few of us camped for two nights at Grand Anse Beach and were fortunate enough to see a Leatherback turtle lay her eggs. I have done a lot and seen a lot on St. Lucia but this was truly the most amazing experience. Once you have seen the massive turtles for yourself you will understand. The beach is very beautiful but water sports are extremely dangerous. There is some good camping but the inaccessibility makes this beach average unless you can see the turtles. Before you leave St. Lucia you have to try and see these turtles!

NICHOLAS KLINGER, EC76
Go ahead and chalk this experience up as one of the coolest of my life. An
absolutely awe inspiring and humbling experience. Well worth the $50EC for guide and transportation and something I’ll be doing again before I leave St. Lucia.

DES CARTIER NATURE TRAIL, EDMUND FOREST RESERVE

2009-05-03T23:25:00.003-06:00

DES CARTIER NATURE TRAIL, EDMUND FOREST RESERVE

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY, AVERAGE from 1 to 5: 2

DESCRIPTION:

The Des Cartier Nature Trail can be reached by two different locations:

-From Micoud; take the Latille Falls access road inland apx. 6 miles off the main highway. Your first right will take you to Latille, but stay left and the road will eventually lead you to the start of the trail. A very long hike, so a hitch or arranged transportation is a must.

-From Fond St. Jacques (recommended); take the bus that departs from Sir Arthur Lewis Street (next to the Courts store) leading into the rainforest. Take the bus as far as it goes ($2EC) that will take you within apx. 30 minutes from the trailhead.

This 4km (2.5 mile) trail runs entirely through natural moist, tropical and montane forest. The old Murray Road established by a forest engineer in the 1940s and 50s covers 2km (1.6 miles), where it joins the old French road, a route built by the French military.
The trail is very well maintained, wide and covered by the rainforest canopy. There are several unmarked points along the way where different routes meet the main trail. Maintaining your original course is recommended, though there are other areas of the forest reserve that can be explored from the side trails.
For more information call the Forestry Department at telephone 758-450-2231/2078 (http://www.slumaffe.org/Forestry_Department/Rainforest_Trails/rainforest_trails.html)

PEACE CORPS PROCEDURE:
-Call your APCD to inform them of your hike, and again upon returning safely to the bottom.

-ALWAYS hike with at least one partner, preferably two.

TESTIMONIALS:

NICHOLAS KLINGER, EC 76
A very easy hike that can be enjoyed by anyone. I’d recommend starting and ending on the western point of entry if you don’t arrange a private pickup on the eastern side of the trail in Micoud. The trail is only 2.5 miles, so make a day of it and hike back so that you can catch public transport in Fond St. Jacques.

SAMUEL SHOPINSKI, EC 77
While so many St. Lucians make this trail to be a great feat it was really a relaxing stroll through the inner rainforest. Flora surrounded us through the hike, with a clear and well-traveled path throughout. We made a few side trips that led nowhere particular, so stick to the flat main route. Pack some food and invite a hearty crew for a good afternoon. If you end in Micoud you’ll have to find a ride for the 6 mile stretch to the highway, so try to get there in the mid-afternoon when many farmers are heading home.

BARRE DE L’ISLE RAINFOREST TRAIL, GRAND RIVIERE, ST. LUCIA

2009-05-03T22:53:00.002-06:00

BARRE DE L’ISLE RAINFOREST TRAIL, GRAND RIVIERE, ST. LUCIA

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY, AVERAGE from 1 to 5: 2

DESCRIPTION:

The Barre de L’Isle Forest Reserve, translated as “island ridge”, is located halfway between Dennery and Castries. It is a ridge dividing the eastern and western halves of St. Lucia. The trail offers a casual morning or afternoon nature hike that is very well maintained by the forestry department. There is a hut located directly across from the signposted start. There is a charge of EC$25 per person, which can be reduced to EC$5 if you play the volunteer card.

The 1-mile trail has 28 labeled stops for flora, as described in the map provided from the ranger station. You will see tree ferns, bamboo, and a wide variety of palms, and will walk through the base of a strangler fig tree. The hike requires less than one hour each way, with another hour to climb the short but moderate ascent up Mt. La Combe. At 1437 ft. above sea level you can see all of Mabouya Valley to the east and Cul-de-Sac valley and the Caribbean Sea to the west.

The St. Lucia Forestry Department states that no one is allowed on these trails without the expressed permission from the Forest and Lands Department.
For more information call the Forestry Department at telephone 758-450-2231/2078 (http://www.slumaffe.org/Forestry_Department/Rainforest_Trails/rainforest_trails.html)

PEACE CORPS PROCEDURE:
-ALWAYS travel with at least one partner, preferably two.
-Call your APCD to inform them of your hike, and again upon
returning safely to the bottom.

TESTIMONIALS:

JESSICA WUBBENHORST, EC77
A great hike that’s not too strenuous. It takes about 2 hours to walk both ways. It has some great viewpoints and you get a great view of the rain
forest. It’s not too expensive and is easy to get to by bus.

SAM SHOPINSKI, EC77
Easy hike that anyone can trek with some extra time on the way to/from
Castries. The trail is very well manicured and well visited by tourists.
The view from Mt. La Combe offers a decent panorama especially to the east coast.

MORNE LE BLANC, LABORIE, ST. LUCIA

2009-05-03T22:40:00.003-06:00

MORNE LE BLANC, LABORIE, ST. LUCIA

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY, AVERAGE from 1-5:2

DESCRIPTION:

Morne Le Blanc is a hill/small mountain that overlooks Laborie Village and the southern portion of the island. The views on a clear day are fantastic. The hike is on the road, but it is fairly steep the entire way.

Coming from Vieux Fort, go past the first Laborie gap, staying on the main highway, and it will be the only main road on the right going straight up the hill. However, a Laborie bus will stop at the first gap and then go down into the village, so you will have to get out and walk to the gap going up the hill. About 10 minutes to the gap and another 45 minutes to reach the top.

At the top, there is a wooden platform that gets you above the tree line for a better view. Great place for a picnic lunch or a view of the sunset.

Cell phone coverage is good.
Take plenty of water.
Getting down in the dark might be difficult, as there are no lights on the road.

PEACE CORPS PROCEDURE:
-ALWAYS travel with at least one partner, preferably two.

TESTIMONIALS:

AARON DOLL, EC76
This is an easy afternoon hike. The walk was a bit steep, but the view from the top is well worth it. EchoLab, an environmental group in Laborie, always holds its Earth Day events on top of Morne Le Blanc. Although it is a public place, the grounds are often empty of patrons. Take your lunch and a bottle of wine, a good looking lady friend and enjoy the view.

CANARIES WATERFALL, CANARIES, ST. LUCIA

2009-05-03T22:17:00.005-06:00

CANARIES WATERFALL,
CANARIES, ST. LUCIA

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY, AVERAGE from 1 to 5: 2

DESCRIPTION:
Nestled in the Grand Bois Reserve about three miles east of the village of Canaries,
the Canaries Waterfall is easily accessible by both car and foot. The road leading
through the rainforest to the falls is paved and well maintained. Plenty of shade is
provided throughout the hike and lush fauna drape over the roadway. Small plantations
line the hillsides, where you’ll see local farmers picking grapefruits, mangos
and digging up dasheen. If you’re lucky, a wave and kind word just might land you
a backpack full of grapefruits from one of the farmers. Reaching the falls takes anywhere

from 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Upon reaching the end of the road you’ll see a river to your left with a yellow metal
foot bridge. This takes you to the other side and private land. Buses often shuttle
tourists through, charging upwards of $5US. Locals pay $5EC, but it can often
times be avoided. The waterfall itself is about a 15 minute hike that leads along the
river side. Walking down the river provides some great ripples, swimming pools
and fishing spots. Try your luck at snagging a big one with some cane poles and
string.

To the right is another waterfall that is visible after hopping over a few boulders and
turning the corner. Water cascades from above into a beautiful swimming pool.
Further up are three other waterfalls, but can only be reached by pulling yourself up
a rope found on the side off the rocks. It’s a bit tough and a spotter is recommended.
There isn’t much of a trail since these falls are so inaccessible, but follow
the sound of the roaring waters and you can’t miss it.
PEACE CORPS PROCEDURE:
-ALWAYS hike with at least one partner, preferably two.
TESTIMONIALS:
AARON DOLL, EC76
A steady pace is key for this hike. The hike and waterfall are beautiful. The
road going down is a bit steep, so wear shoes with good traction. A good
walking still is beneficial.

LEO KLEJNOT, EC76
One of my favorite activities in St. Lucia. Totally chill. I caught a massive
fish. Had to be at least 5 ounces. Great eating later that evening.

SALTIBUS WATERFALL, CHOISUEL, ST. LUCIA

2009-04-21T07:54:00.003-06:00

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY, AVERAGE of 1 to 5: 2

DESCRIPTION:

The Saltibus Waterfall hike is located in the hill top community of Saltibus, Choiseul. It is a series of waterfalls, four in total with an average height of 25 feet and the largest around 40. If you walk from central Saltibus it takes about 20 minutes to get to the trail. From this trail you must hike through a beautiful forest for about 30-40 minutes. The walk is easy if the trail is dry, it is not recommended to do this hike shortly after a heavy rain. The trail will be dangerous and the water muddy. At the end of the trail there is a short section where it is very steep and you must climb down to get to the waterfall.

Wear Chaco’s or other suitable hiking shoes. Take the public bus to the top of Saltibus, then turn left and walk along the road until it turns into a trail. Stay straight and you can’t miss the massive waterfalls. All the locals can tell you how to get there. Be careful on the rocks as they are very wet and slippery. Bring insect repellant as there are mosquitoes. The water is very cold because it comes from the ground so be prepared!

PEACE CORPS PROCEDURE:
-ALWAYS hike with at least one partner, preferably two.

TESTIMONIALS:

TAMERON EATON, EC76
This is a beautiful and relatively easy hike to four big waterfalls. If it has rained recently the water really flows. One of the best waterfalls I have
seen in St. Lucia and it’s free, so what’s better than that?

AARON DOLL, EC76
Beautiful hike with fruit trees along the way, so you can “borrow” some grapefruits. The switchbacks are a pain if it has rained. We hiked the trail when it was a sloppy mess. Not fun, but a great reward. There are some amazing trees along the way. Also, if you take the bus from Vieux Fort and pay the bus driver a little extra, he will take you a lot closer to the trail head. It is a great free hike and you get to see a quaint rural village along the way.

TORAILLE WATERFALL, SOUFRIERE, ST. LUCIA

2009-04-21T07:37:00.003-06:00

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY, AVERAGE FROM 1 TO 5:1

DESCRIPTION:

Cold waterfall near rainforest in Soufriere area. Beautiful, well kept botanical gardens. Main tourist stop on cruise day trip. Price– 5 EC.

Great place to take your friends and family. I recommend spending 15-20 minutes.
Getting there: Either walk inland from Soufriere Town toward Fond St. Jaques about 30 minutes. Or take Fond St. Jaques bus next to Church in Soufriere– takes about 3-5 minutes.

Bus fee: $1.00 EC. Toraille

PEACE CORPS PROCEDURE:
- Easy trail– does not need any special procedure.
-ALWAYS hike with at least one partner, preferably two.

TESTIMONIALS:

MEGAN HAWKS, EC 75
I have been to Toraille many times. It’s a great place to take visitors.
Especially visitors who want an EASY WAY TO SEE BEAUTIFUL
St. Lucia! The water under the waterfall is extremely forceful– I wouldn’t recommend trying to get a massage. It may push you under water. It also is very cold– but nice to soak your feet on a hot day. There is a little bar there for drinks as well. There are many little waterfall spots in this area– this could be one stop for the day.

SPIKE WATERFALL, SOUFRIERE, ST. LUCIA

2009-04-20T23:54:00.003-06:00

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY, 1 to 5:1

DESCRIPTION:

Cold waterfall near rainforest in Soufriere area. Not as touristy as Toraille.
Price– 5 EC.

Great Place to take a snack or lunch. It’s pretty quiet and only a few minutes off the main road. There are 3 waterfalls with separate trails. Recommended time– 20 minutes just to see. Or spend longer to “Enjoy.”
Getting there: Take Fond St. Jaques bus next to Church in Soufriere– takes about 8-10 minutes. Just ask driver to drop you at Spike Waterfall. There is a little house and paying booth at the road.
Bus fee: apx. $2.00 EC

PEACE CORPS PROCEDURE:
- Easy trail– does not need any special procedure.
-ALWAYS hike with at least one partner, preferably two.

TESTIMONIALS:

MEGAN HAWKS, EC 75
This was a waterfall that I had heard about but never visited. So, one day a friend of mine drove me there. We just had a short visit– but I think it would be a great place to have lunch. The waterfall is not big and robust– but it is very tall and water trickles down the rocks. You can climb around a bit. This could be included in a day of sites in Soufriere.

NEW JERUSALEM MINERAL BATHS, SOUFRIERE, ST. LUCIA

2009-04-20T23:48:00.003-06:00

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY, 1 to 5:1

DESCRIPTION:

Just a short bus ride from Soufrière Town towards Fond St. Jacques, New Jerusalem Warm Baths will be a welcomed retreat for sore muscles and a tired psyche. If you decide to walk from town to the entrance of New Jerusalem, it will be about a 30 minute walk. There is absolutely no level of difficulty to this hidden treasure, aside from a short ten-minute walk from the main road entryway back to the baths.

The baths are locally owned and managed. There are two warm baths that are equipped with seating areas and three different temperatures of water flowing from bamboo faucets from above. The pressure creates a nice warm body massage on achy muscles. This is not a crowded, nor a touristy location, so you will enjoy relative privacy and solitude.

A picnic lunch, some water, and a camera are recommended. The baths can accommodate up to 15 people comfortably. There are no time limits on your stay in the baths. There is a changing area (rustic) available to patrons and a sheltered area to leave clothes and bags. The overseer is a nice gentleman from town; his Uncle owns the property.

Public bus transport costs $1.25 EC one-way and entry to the baths is $5.00 EC.

PEACE CORPS PROCEDURE:
-The trail to the baths is not well marked, so stay attentive.

-ALWAYS hike with at least one partner, preferably two.

TESTIMONIALS:

MEGAN HAWKS, EC 75
This could be part of your Soufriere Day excursion. The walk down to the mineral baths is quiet and peaceful with the sound of the river and wind in the trees. You cross part of the river by stone stepping and walking over a foot bridge. You pay a gentle man who doesn’t speak at all but
understands what you say. He adds to the experience. New Jerusalem is better in the morning or later afternoon as the water is warm.

NINA DESANTO, EC 77
If you are seeking serenity for yourself or if you want to take your out of town guests, New Jerusalem fits the bill. It is a convenient place for people to get to without exerting much energy. A great spot for those who want to appreciate nature, but who don’t want to hike through the rainforest or scale rocks to get to a tucked away waterfall.

DIAMOND FALLS, SOUFRIERE, ST. LUCIA

2009-04-20T23:39:00.003-06:00

Level of Difficulty, 1 to 5: 1

DESCRIPTION:

The privately-owned Diamond Falls and Mineral Baths, less than a mile east of Soufriere, are part of the Soufriere Estate dating from 1713. The Baths, originally built in 1784, were restored by Mrs. Joan Devaux in the 1980s, with some of the original 18th century baths still in use. At the entrance, a narrow path edged with tropical flowers and shaded by stately palms leads to the bathhouse and a series of pools, each a different temperature. Beyond are the falls roaring out of a mineral-streaked gorge and spilling through the gardens into the pools.

COST: $22.50EC
Getting there: Walk inland from Church on road to Fond St. Jaques for 5 min. Then, turn left toward Diamond– well marked signs! The road to the gardens is pretty as well.
As reads on the Diamond Botanical Gardens entrance sign:

The sulphur springs from which the town of Soufriere got its name, are a weak spot in the crust of an enormous collapsed crater, the result of volcanic upheaval of gigantic proportions that took place some 410,000 years ago.
Similar hot springs feed the mineral baths on the Diamond Estate built originally in 1784 for the troops of King Louis XVI of France so that they could benefit from the therapeutic waters.
It is claimed that the Empress Josephine bathed in the original baths
In 1983 on the death of Mr. Andre du Boulay the former owner, his daughter Joan Devaux designed, restored, and planted these Gardens that you can enjoy today.

PEACE CORPS PROCEDURE:
-ALWAYS hike with at least one partner, preferably two.

TESTIMONIALS:

MEGAN HAWKS, EC 75
Worth the visit– but, I wouldn’t recommend bathing as you would be on display to all who pass by. The grounds are beautiful and peaceful. You can go off on a trail that goes on for who knows how long– it looks safe and easy, but I haven’t ever trekked it. Should be part of your Soufriere excursion!

SULPHUR SPRINGS, SOUFRIERE, ST. LUCIA

2009-04-20T23:27:00.003-06:00

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY, 1 to 5: 1

DESCRIPTION:

From a mile away you can smell the wonderful scent of rotten eggs and onions, or the hydrogen sulfide emitted from the open volcano. La Soufriere remains active today, which in the event of a major eruption St. Lucia would be decimated instantly. The last minor eruption was in the late 1700s. The volcano itself is some 8 miles in diameter, including all of Soufriere. Guides take you to viewing platforms that overlook parts of the crater, including seven acres of bubbling sulphur-water pools. Visitors were allowed to walk around the crater ten years ago, but after a guide fell through a fissure no one has been allowed across. He survived but opted to work as a fisherman. Many still live near the craters.

To get to the springs you can take a bus to/from Soufriere and stop at the signpost, which is about a mile from Soufriere. It is a casual walk, too. At the park guests pay EC$12.50 to enter, which includes paying the guides. Anyone can take a hot dip in the sulphur pools, one of which is before the park entrance and another is just inside (open only to paying guests). The gray sulphur-water is bubbling hot, so visit early or late so you can withstand the heat. Supposedly you can add 10 years of life by bathing in the sulphur, so wipe that mud all over and take a comfortable soak

PEACE CORPS PROCEDURE:
-ALWAYS travel with at least one partner, preferably two.

TESTIMONIALS:

JENNIFER LESHNOWER, EC77, April 22, 2008
The best time to go to Sulphur Springs is in the early morning before all the visitors arrive. I would highly recommend going on the tour with a guide. They are great folks and offer information you can't read about. Also, don't miss the interpretation center, even though it is not visible from the base of the Volcanic Park.

SAM SHOPINSKI, EC77, March 14, 2008
Lots of tourists visit and with good reason. Many Lucians spend holiday mornings and evenings here, especially in the free pool. The park is very well kept and the water feels wonderful. A must for all volunteers

PETIT PITON NATURAL SPINGS, SOUFRIERE, ST. LUCIA

2009-04-20T23:21:00.003-06:00

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY, 1 to 5: 2

DESCRIPTION:

Just north of the trail head to Petit Piton and below the gated entrance to Jalousie Plantation, Petit Piton Natural Springs is a mixture of cold river water and hot sulfur springs. A perfect ending after the Petit Piton hike, these waters are great for sore tired muscles, aches and pains; all of which you’ll be guaranteed to have after descending Petit.

There are two ways in which you can get to the Natural Springs and base of Petit Piton. You can walk along Soufriere’s waterfront south on Baron’s Drive, then along a dirt road that follows the coastline. When you reach the retirement home that rests to your right, turn left over a very small bridge and then immediate right up a steep hill. There are signs marking the direction to the waterfall, and if all else fails, just look up at the Piton and make your way towards it. Look for Martha’s Tables Restaurant to your left as you draw near.
A second route is to follow the main road that leads out of Soufriere, exiting at the sign leading to Jalousie Plantation. This road eventually meets up with the first route. Your best option if traveling from the south.
Entrance Fee: $7.50 EC

PEACE CORPS PROCEDURE:
-ALWAYS hike with at least one partner, preferably two.

TESTIMONIALS:

MEGAN HAWKS, EC 75
I love Petit Piton Waterfall! It’s great after it closes with friends because it is private and cooler outside temp for the warm water. Of course I wouldn’t know what it is like at 3am because that would be a safety risk. You could also go to Jalousie Beach before– it’s beautiful right between the Pitons! Try Martha’s Tables, a great local restaurant nearby. Should be part of your Soufriere Excursion!

NICHOLAS KLINGER, EC 76
For those hiking Petit Piton, this is an absolute must!! There is no better way to end your hike than a relaxing soak in these natural springs. Just a 2- minute walk from the base of the Piton trail. Be sure and soak in the pool just to your left as you enter for some really warm waters. Don’t forget to carry cash with you on your hike so that you can pay the entrance fee!

PETIT PITON, SOUFRIERE, ST. LUCIA

2009-04-20T23:11:00.003-06:00

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY, 1 to 5: 5

DESCRIPTION:

At 2,461 feet above sea level, Petit Piton is the shortest but most difficult of the two pitons, taking anywhere from 1 hour 45 minutes to 3 hours each way. The unmarked trailhead is about a 30 minute walk from Soufriere’s pier. Follow the road from Soufriere that leads south along the water towards the piton. The beginning of the trail is to the right of the road apx. 100 yards before the entrance to the Natural Springs (look for a small pasture and shanty to the right of the road. There is a trail that leads along a chain fence at the back of the field. At the beginning of this trail is an area of the fence that is pinned to the ground with a large rock. This is the beginning of your journey). Be cautious along the trail as there are several times where you can find yourself off the trail if you’re not careful.

The trail is very, very steep. Hand holds in the rocks and tree roots will often assist in pulling yourself up. Be adived that there are some very tricky rope sections about 3/4th of the way to the top. Use extreme caution and know your limits. Having a spotter is very important on this difficult stretch. Unlike Gros Piton, there are no official trail guides, but plenty of locals who will be glad to take you to the top if the price is right.

There are no water sources along the trail so take plenty. The trail is well covered keeping you out of direct sunlight until reaching the top. Cell phone coverage throughout the hike.

PEACE CORPS PROCEDURE:
-Call your APCD to inform them of your hike, and again upon returning safely to the bottom.

-ALWAYS hike with at least one partner, preferably two.

TESTIMONIALS:

NICHOLAS KLINGER, EC76, December 31, 2006/ January 1, 2007
An extremely excruciating yet very entertaining and rewarding hike. A spectacular view from the top makes it all worth it. Camping at the top is possible, but be prepared for high winds and wet and chilly evenings.

LEO KLEJNOT, EC76, December 31, 2006/ January 1, 2007
I found myself on multiple occasions asking “What on earth have I gotten myself into??” This might account for the 40 lb. pack I had on my back or realizing that I’d left my sleeping bag at home and had no shelter for the night. Very entertaining and a MUST for any St. Lucian PCV!!

GROS PITON, SOUFRIERE, ST. LUCIA

2009-04-20T22:56:00.003-06:00

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY, 1 OUT OF 5: 3

DESCRIPTION:

Towering 2,640 feet above sea level, Gros Piton is the tallest of the two pitons and second highest peak in St. Lucia. Located just south of Soufriere in the community of Fond Gens Libre, or “Valley of the Free People,” the mountain is sanctioned by the Government of St. Lucia and requires a guide and fee. Tourists are charged upwards of $25US, so make sure to stress your Peace Corps affiliation and demand the local price of $35EC. There is little way around this, as the interpretive center where you make your payments is adjacent to the path that leads to the trail itself.

The trail and community lay decently far from the main road, so private transport is your best bet. There are no public buses that take you any closer than the gap along the main road with a sign pointing in the direction of the mountain.

The ascent to the top of Gros takes approximately 2 hours. The trail is very well traveled and maintained. Your guide will help you when needed, but there are no portions of the trail that require much, if any, assistance. Be prepared for a constant and very steady hike to the top. There are several benches along the path that provide great views and a place for rest and relaxation. Be sure to stop at both lookout points at the top, as guides normally stop at the main lookout but skip the secondary lookout, allowing you a wonderful view of Petit Piton.

Cell phone coverage throughout the hike.

PEACE CORPS PROCEDURE:
-Call your APCD to inform them of your hike, and again upon returning safely to the bottom.

-ALWAYS hike with at least one partner, preferably two.

TESTIMONIALS:

AARON DOLL, EC76
I’m a smoker, so this hike was a tough one. With some persistency and plenty of time though, I made it to the top. What a great accomplishment and views I’ll never forget.

LEO KLEJNOT, EC76
Much easier than Petit Piton. Never any point along the trail where I felt uneasy or with thoughts of turning back. Not a fan of the $35EC to hike the darn thing, but it’s certainly worth doing at least once while in St. Lucia. Be sure and bring a Piton with you so that you can drink one at the top!!
night. Very entertaining and a MUST for any St. Lucian PCV!!

MOUNT GIMIE, FOND ST. JACQUES, ST. LUCIA

2009-04-20T22:41:00.005-06:00

Level of Difficulty, from 1 to 5: 5

Description:

Mt. Gimie stands at 3,117 ft. above sea level as the tallest peak in all of St. Lucia. The trail cuts clear through the central rainforest, starting just inland from Fond St. Jacques. There is a wide variety of tropical vegetation and if lucky you may hear and see the St. Lucia parrot. On a clear day one may see all of St. Lucia but on most days there is too much fog to see even a mile away.

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Few take this hike, and it is well off the beaten path. There is neither a fee to hike nor maps available. A guide is necessary (often PCVs know local guides but you can otherwise contact the forestry department, which services the nearby Edmund Forest and Enbas Saut trails). Around Mt. Gimie there are Rasta communities living sustainably and completely removed from the rest of Soufriere. Their farms are clearly visible 2,000 ft. above sea level, but away from the main trail.

The trail starts at the end of the road coming from Fond St. Jacques. It is a good 2-3 hour hike from Fond St. Jacques simply to Gimie’s trailhead, during which you’ll cross three rivers. The hike up and down takes about 2 hours each way. The trail leads you through the rainforest, so expect for a fair bit of rainfall. The descent can be difficult because the path becomes very muddy. The hike is of moderate incline throughout but is strenuous simply because it is long (~10 hours round trip). Pack a few sandwiches and plenty of water. There are several natural water taps on the trail to Gimie but none on the ascent (i.e. bamboo pipes from clean spring water).

Peace Corps Procedure:
-ALWAYS travel with at least one partner, preferably two.
-Call your APCD to inform them of your hike, and again upon
returning safely to the bottom.

Testimonials:

Jennifer Leshnower, EC77
The hike was grueling for this unseasoned athlete. I don't even think stretch ing first would have helped. As painful the experience was for me, it's a bonding experience and well worth the bragging rights post-hike. It's a "first time's the charm" hike - meaning, that I won't need to do it again. I would recommend the hike, but hope for a clear day. Our summit was foggy and rainy, but unforgettable nonetheless.

Ben Wiechman, EC77
As one faces a long walk (~3 hours) just to reach the base of Mt. Gimie, the trek is traveled by few and secluded off the beaten path. It therefore provides hikers with a peaceful yet invigorating feeling as you explore the forest, cross over rivers, and ascend to the top of the highest mountain on St. Lucia, only to find that it’s completely foggy when you get to the top. But, in the end, you don’t really mind at all.

Out and About Forms for the Eastern Caribbean

2009-04-20T22:31:00.003-06:00

Hello All,

I am going to post some of the best spots in the Eastern Caribbean from the people who have lived there for 24 months at a time, Peace Corps volunteers. The out and about forms were entirely Nicholas Klinger's invention, so all credit and thanks to him. The reviews for some of the islands were compiled through the hard work of other volunteers. So enjoy!

Farkle, one of the greatest games played in Eastern Caribbian Peace Corps

2009-04-18T22:26:00.002-06:00

FARKLE is best described as a democratic dare game. Though no one can be certain about the game's true origins, ancient scholars believe FARKLE was conceived deep in the woods of Northern Minnesota. The game itself is simple enough: a collective group comes up with a dare (something you would love to see someone else do, but that you yourself have no desire in doing - i.e. walking up behind a perfect stranger in a bar, giving them a scalp massage and saying, "Mmmmmm...doesn't that feel nice?). After the participants agree on the dare, a countdown of "One, two, three..shoot!" is called. Players can either throw a 0, 1 or 2. The numbers are added up and the sum is announced by the counter (typically the person who came up w/ the original dare). The counter then counts up, pointing at each participant until the sum is reached. If the number lands on you - you're SAFE! It's a process of elimination game, so the last two standing either have a rock-paper-scissors throw down, or bear-hunter-ninja (only for more advanced players).

Here is a video of Jordan losing farkle, he had to consume a very large Caribbean moth.

For those brave enough to say yes to the truly outrageous dares, there awaits a spot reserved in the FARKLE Hall of Fame, located in my parent's basement. It's the highest honor given to FARKLE player

School Lesson Plans, Environmental Education, Proposals, Development Work Resources

2009-04-18T12:04:00.002-06:00

I thought it would be criminal not to point out this amazing resource that is available to everyone for free.

Here is the URL to our SkyDrive account where Peace Corps volunteers and others can find resources as they work and volunteer in Saint Lucia or other countries around the world. Includes proposals, brochures, school lesson plans, and environmental education to name a few.

https://cid-fe64a01bbdf5eee1.skydrive.live.com/home.aspx

Only Saint Lucia PCV's and Peace Corps staff have the password to upload files.

Black Bird in Paradise

2008-09-07T11:28:00.004-06:00

(written by my lovely former co-worker at the Orphan Foundation of America who visited Saint Lucia)

Black Bird in Paradise

By Laura Adkins

It is the last full day of my vacation in St. Lucia. It is August near the equator, and I make my way in the 100% heat to the tiny crescent shaped beach just beneath the breakfast veranda. The white beach is cupped south and north by the lush, stunning juts of mountains, called the Grand Pitons.

I find the same small almond tree in the sand, overlooking the turquoise water. A breeze blows and captures me for the afternoon. It is the third day under “my” tree, where I watch animal commerce and stealth. A black bird cases leftovers for booty and tugs hard to pick up more than one French fry at a time. He jumps to escape perceived danger, and starts again. He drops one fry while trying to pick up the next, and repeats the effort 3 more times. He does not succeed at eating. What I learn from him is that greed doesn’t work, and doesn’t feed you in the long run.

As I throw my blue work shirt over the back of the lounge chair, an old man with a large green coconut approaches my tree. He is smiling, tan, lean, shirtless, and missing many teeth. He explains that he needs to go to the doctor and must make money.

“Would you like a coconut?” he asks. I ask the price. He says, “$3.00?”

I say, “Yes, I would like a coconut, please.” He lays down a cloth wrapped set of machetes and uses one to lop off the top of the coconut. He makes a nifty drink bowl with the smaller knife in a matter of seconds and inserts a straw for drinking. “It’s a cherry coconut,” he explains proudly, as if they are rare. Perhaps they are.

While cleaning his machete, he continues to tell me about his right ear. “I cannot hear. I need to see the doctor on Monday. It is $350.” I tell him I only have a $20 for the coconut drink, and ask if he can get change? Apparently, a familiar request, he walks to the restaurant bar perhaps 100 ft. from my tree. He returns explaining that the restaurant is not open yet. He hands me back my $20. I tell him to go sell more coconuts and come back with the change when he has it. I closed my eyes, leaning back on the lounge. The water laps, the bird makes war on the plastic dish of French fries, and I wonder how close I am to the equator.

The man returns in 15 minutes, grinning as he pulls two $5.00 bills out of his pants pocket. “A lady over there gave me $10.00 for my operation on Monday.” He hands them to me, outshining the sun in his honor and pristine character. I look him in the eye and hand them back to him. I am thinking that I cannot fly away with that many French fries, and push them back into his hand. Even if there is no ear operation, I must survive the moment with something more valuable than the $20. I now know that every moment is the most important one.

This paradise of aqua water, poverty, hunger, honesty, greed, and animal commerce, crowds under my tree and into my soul, as my physical eyes shut out the brightness. Chiaroscuro pushes these competing forces of nature into the open, letting light fall on our dance together. All elements and intention converge tail to head, ying to yang. Can one be charitable or honorable, unless these words become verbs? There is no use for my charity without his poverty; and he cannot be honorable without the opportunity.

I sit up and face the water with my realization. “Who is helping whom?” I ponder. The man turns around and walks back toward me. He is noble in his voice and carriage as he asks, “Are you alright?”

A few Wedding Photos

2008-08-27T20:37:00.006-06:00

Hey Mon,

The lovely bride and I have just arrived in Seattle, just getting settled in after a blitzkrieg of meetings with dear friends and family. I know people are eagerly awaiting wedding photos so I thought I would put a few up; once things calm down I will put a full blog entry on the wedding. Marcella and I would like to thank all the people who made it special; the generosity people showed in both their time, love and gifts. I would like to especially send a quick shout out to Michael Ward, we are absolutely delighted at how the wedding photos turned out!

The Triumph of Climbing Mount Gimie, Saint Lucia

2008-08-07T17:49:00.006-06:00

Base of Mount Gimie

Mount Gimie, Peter preparing some coconut.

Mount Gimie, Peter John Baptist

Mount Gimie, Big Dog talking about the climb ahead.

Mount Gimie, Brutal hike, halfway there.

Mount Gimie, Big Dog Summits

Mount Gimie, Big Country Summits

Mount Gimie, Keens Blowout

Mount Gimie, Summit, Praise to our guide Peter John Baptist

Mount Gimie, Big Dog Reflecting on the 10 hour hike.

Mount Gimie, Big Country Reflecting on the 10 hour climb.

The End of Posts for this Blog is coming...

2008-08-07T07:50:00.000-06:00

Hello Folks,

Just a quick reminder, once I close my service August 15th, this blog will be finished, I will leave it up but their will be no new posts.

"Share the Love!" Canaries Mango Festival July 4-5th, 2009

2008-08-05T06:51:00.012-06:00

Well as you know me folks, I like to stretccccccchhhhhhh myself thin:)

Not only do I have to wrap up Canabelle Soap "let me just say we have an amazing trainer named Tim from the Soap Shed coming in from North Carolina to take the ladies to a WHOLE NEW LEVEL" find a job "check that one off!", wrap up the Creole Pot Street Party and the Rabbit Project to name a few.

So, back to the Mango Festival, over the past two years I have been mulling over the question of why doesn't gorgeous Saint Lucia have a mango festival? The mango is the sexiest fruit in the world "if you have not tasted a mango in the Caribbean..well you just cannot understand this" with its incredible sweet sensuous smell and taste as you bite into the perfect sweetness of its flesh-the Body Shop makes body butter out of mangoes, you get the idea.

It doesn't make sense that Saint Lucia does not celebrate this fruit. As I have watched the mangoes drop to the ground and rot I have been thinking about how to pull this off.

Well this has all changed after I met Chef Orlando "who is quite possibly the best Chef in Saint Lucia" with my Aunt Tina at Ladera restaurant.

Orlando talked to me and my Aunt about his desire to do something special in Saint Lucia, something that would demonstrate his incredible personality and talents and benefit the people. My brain-pan has been thinking about the mangoes and with Chef Orlando's reputation for gastronomical excellence and the newly finished Moon River Entertainment Grounds that have just been finished by the Edwards family I saw a connection and an opportunity.

From there I pedaled my idea to Orlando and Mrs Edwards organizing a meeting and coming up with a draft idea of how to have this festival. After that I spent the next few weeks developing the logo "learning how to use Adobe Photoshop", materials and marketing for this festival. With that the The Share the Love, Canaries Mango Festival was born. We are now working closely with the Distillery as I write this. I would like to take a moment to wish the Saint Lucia Distillery a special thank you for their close relationship and financial support of developing Canaries. I would like to especially thank Bernard Thomas who has time and time again displayed his passion for development in Canaries.

I have also received tremendous assistance from Clifford a fellow PCV in Antigua who assisted me in designing the "Share the Love" logo and provided some form templates that saved me two weeks of work at the very least.

The Mango festival is set for next year July, 4-5th 2009 at the peak of the mango season.

It will certainly put Canaries firmly on the mental and social map of Saint Lucia.

Politically Correct

2008-08-01T07:53:00.004-06:00

(Canaries Village directly behind me)
Politically Correct

First, I must admit that when I look back at my blog it makes the "Peace Corps experience" seem like a bed of roses. Yes, it is an accurate representation of the work and experience of being a Peace Corps volunteer in Saint Lucia but with this blog being available to the public I have to be careful what I say.

Sadly this leaves out the crazy stories of that have happened during this whole incredible experience. The cultural differences alone that have led to misunderstanding could be story. The different pace of accomplishing tasks and projects in Saint Lucia vs the more aggressive American timetable is another adjustment.

Leaving out the incredibly painful, boring and tedious meetings that go on for 2-3-4 hours can be misleading. Meetings where the same issues are discussed again and again seemingly without resolution. Meetings where you often ask yourself, "What did we accomplish", remember folks I am in one of the more dynamic forward moving villages. Even more interesting is how you can be two hours into a meeting and have someone shows up and you have to recap the entire meeting debating and re-making all the decisions again. Lastly, in regards to community development meetings. It is a Caribbean fact that if a meeting is set for 7:00pm you do not want to waste your precious time by arriving early or on time. The meeting will start 10 minutes late at the minimum, 20 min most likely.

A funny cultural difference that took me a while to figure out; knowing when someones is agreeing to something because they do not want to embarrass themselves or lose face. The person in fact: has no intention of doing what you have asked and they will avoid you, putting you off afterward so they do not have to do it.

Another struggle is understanding the mentality of quite a few development groups across the island; in helping themselves to some of the monies as I have been told by a few volunteers. An attitude that would never be tolerated in the US but in the EC people look the other way and ignore it. How is that possible you ask? It goes back to the years of development money being brought in without proper accountability-this has created this climate of acceptable corruption. The other part of it, and this is difficult to really appreciate. Everyone is related to each other, if you accuse one person of corruption you are attacking the entire clan. Being in small village you will run into the family members every day where that bitterness can grow and cause serious conflict. When you look at it from their point of view you can see why a villager would let that slide by instead.

Some of this is traced to a lack of transparency in financing. My only recommendation is that you must have an outside accountant who does not live in the village that services are being rendered for reasons mentioned above. In addition, the group must have 3 signature minimum for all withdrawals.

I have gained an incredible amount of experience seeing these barriers to sustainable development played-out on the ground level stopping infrastructure and capacity development. But I also know that they can be worked through with patience... make that extreme patience:)

I can only imagine how much more difficult it must be in some of the developing nations in Africa where resources are extremely scare and the consequences of not having them sometimes means the difference between life and death. The fact that we even have access to banking institutions that are less then 20 minutes away puts development work in Saint Lucia in a whole new playing field.

I am thankful for the genuine appreciation that the people of Canaries have expressed to me for the work I have done. For the giving nature of many of the community leaders who would never say, "No!/Awa!" to giving 50-100EC to a small project I am working on. To the genuine helpfulness and friendliness of Saint Lucian's which is extraordinary compared to the other islands.

Every Peace Corps volunteers experience is unique and challenging, I feel that I need to talk about the some of the low points that happen in this daily community work so that anyone considering becoming a volunteer will have more realistic expectations.

That has been the entire goal of my blog, to give a chronology of 24 months of work and life in Saint Lucia for future volunteers. It has been amazing experience and again, I feel blessed and thankful to the US, to JFK, to the US tax payer and the Government of Saint Lucia for allowing me this opportunity to serve.

Accepting an Amazing Position.

2008-07-21T15:03:00.005-06:00

Hello All,

I have wonderful news to announce, I have just accepted an amazing position with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in Seattle. http://www.gatesfoundation.org/default.htm

This is certainly a great comfort for me and Marcy as we are getting ready to tie the knot August 15th.

I feel privileged and honored to say the least in having this opportunity and I would like to thank my friends at the Orphan Foundation and Peace Corps staff and colleagues for the amazing professional development opportunities I had had through the years that have made this all possible.

Work has really picked up here in Saint Lucia with a few of my projects taking off, in particular Canabelle Soap and the Rabbit Project: Life is good.

All of our best to you,

Saint Luica PCV Resources

2008-07-21T11:00:00.002-06:00

Here is the URL to our SkyDrive account where Peace Corps volunteers and others can find resources as they work and volunteer in Saint Lucia. Includes proposals, brochures, school lesson plans, and environmental education to name a few.

https://cid-fe64a01bbdf5eee1.skydrive.live.com/home.aspx

Only Saint Lucia PCV's and Peace Corps staff have the password to upload files.

Passing on the Rabbit Project to other Villages.

2008-07-20T17:08:00.012-06:00

Three other Peace Corps volunteers in Saint Lucia are interested in starting Rabbit Projects in their villages. I invited them over along with a few other volunteers. We shot some videos covering the basics of rabbit raising (see previous post), we visited Sebastian's rabbit farm in Canaries where we had amazing demonstrations of his work. We reviewed the type of endemic plants that you can feed your rabbits in Saint Lucia and discussed effective hutch designs using Sebastian's as a template.

Sebastian showing us his prize rabbit breed that is extremely large, has a lovely dusky color and very soft fur.

One of his breeding females.

A few more rabbits:

He lets the rabbits out to get exercise.

The other Peace Corps volunteers and a visiting student at the rabbit farm:

Sebastian has an amazing farm by the Canaries river, him and his brothers grow everything from sweet potatoes and lettuce to sorrel the Christmas time drink for Saint Lucia. The land is lush and covered with avocados and mango trees.

Justin selecting his breeding pair or rabbits from Sebastian. I would like to point out Sebastian's amazing giving spirit, each rabbit is worth at least $50EC=$18.66 US.

Sebastian explaining the best river grass to give the rabbits:

Saint Lucia River Plant that is very good for rabbits:

Sebastian's brother explaining organic fertilizer he uses.

Some awesome Rasta art on the side of their home that the brother "cool out" in when they want to leave the village.

Did you know cats eat coconut jellies?

Raising Rabbits Video Tutorials

2008-07-20T12:40:00.002-06:00

Here is a training session of four videos presented to other Peace Corps volunteers in Saint Lucia to start Rabbit Projects in their villages.

The four videos cover:
1. Overview of rabbit raising.
2. Feeding
3. Rabbit Health
4. Breeding

1. Overview of rabbit raising.

2. Feeding

3. Rabbit Health

4. Breeding

You can find other videos on hutch design at http://www.youtube.com/user/bigolcountry and my blog on rabbit raising and my Peace Corps experience at http://bigcountryleo.blogspot.com/.

The rabbit project is a great project to boost a disadvantage families income or provide more food for the table, a few rabbits can be maintained with vegetable scraps and local vegetation, the biggest expense is rabbit feed which must be fed to your rabbits a minimum of every other day. A natural rabbit feed recipe can be found on my blog to reduce costs to minimal levels.

Getting ready to get Married, VISA fun and attempting to wrap up.

2008-07-19T14:33:00.004-06:00

Hello All,

With the blog I have been leaning more towards providing less personal information. I have not really talked about the stress of planning a wedding as a completely broke Peace Corps volunteer who lives on $1700EC a month which is about $634US. That is supposed to cover all expenses including rent. I have also been suffering with my fiancee working on VISA issues even though she is dual citizenship with Saint Lucian and British Passports (immigration is scary, I feel for ANYONE who has tried to come to the US as a foreign national) while she is working in England. On top of that we have been struggling with where to live, England vs the US.

It has been a real challenge and I wish I could say more, but I really have to keep it general.

I have also found that ALL of my projects have rapidly accelerated towards the end of my service, I am thrilled but it has been difficult to juggle that with wedding planning, and job hunting.

It is no fun to plan a wedding when you have no idea where you are going to live and you are still not sure which job your going to have.

So take care everyone, once again the goal of this blog is to share this Peace Corps experience for future volunteers and the curious, if I have accomplished that I am thrilled.

All my best everyone,

Ps, trying to throw a wedding in Saint Lucia can be a challenge as a poor Peace Corps when the concept of a "pay bar" is completely foreign even if you are providing beer, in fact it would be considered a grave insult, Marcy and her family would be the talk of the village if we did so. Alcohol is a HUGE part of the culture. Were receiving an INCREDIBLE amount of help from Mrs. Edwards and our friends at the Distillery.

Thanks to the PCV's chipping in for the Steel Pan Band, to my ma ma Agatha, to my family, to Andy and Jenie, and Na Na and Aunty Bella and everyone else who is helping. Oh yes and thank you to BIG DOG Nick Klinger for his help and support and Christine Klinger and family.

Peace Corps Close of Service EC 76

2008-07-18T06:07:00.009-06:00

Here is quick entry showing a few clips and pictures from our COS for the Eastern Caribbean EC 76 group.

It was a great conference, seeing old friends, meeting our new EC Country Director. PS Helen you did a great job with the conference.

For me it is easy to feel good about my COS with so many great projects being successful. But let us be honest, I came into a village that was ready to move forward with some highly capable and motivated community partners. No, I believe success should be measured mostly with your personal development and the relationships you have built with what was a completely alien culture that has become your own.

Pretty Rough Video of the Saint Lucia group singing the Saint Lucia National Anthem, as you can see I did not know the lyrics, shame on me. I was singing watermelon, watermelon. It also includes a partial video of us giving away awards.

Bloody Bunnies Skit:

Shaving Skit:

Dog attack kills 4 rabbits and damages hutch.

2008-07-17T05:21:00.004-06:00

You certainly have set backs in development work, it would not be so rewarding if you did not. For those with sensitive constitutions I would recommend that you skip this blog entry since it contains a few graphic pictures.

I spent the night outside of the village visiting another Peace Corps and came home to find my front gate left open from the neighbor children coming into my yard while I was gone. As I went to my backyard for my rabbits morning feeding I was immediately confronted with carnage.

White clumps of rabbit fur lay everywhere as I came around the corner of the house. I found myself looking at one my rabbits head laying on the ground, pieces of legs and ears scattered around.

With shock I opened the first hutch door to find that the bottom of the screen had been ripped out. My rabbits had been attacked by a neighborhood dog. The dog had come in the night, ripped at the bottom of the cage until the wire was a wide enough gap so the dog could reach in grabbing one rabbit at a time devouring them until all 4 rabbits were consumed.

The rest of my remaining rabbits were okay with the exception of my oldest large female, I could see where the dog had yanked back some of the wire to try to get her, she has an injury on her foot.

Video of my first reaction of coming home to the carnage:

I know it was a dog because the next night I was awoken at 2am from strange noises in the backyard, I looked out my window to see a large pit bull mix dog underneath the hutch trying to rip out the wire again to kill my rabbits. The dog had slipped through a hole in the neighbors wall this time. I came our of my house at 3am with my machete and flashlight with murderous intentions for this dog. The dog must have sensed the brewing violence within me because he cleared out before I made it to the backyard.

The next day I had the neighbor seal up the hole with sheet metal and I have not had any trouble since.

All I can say is it was valuable lesson and it could have been worse with me losing all my rabbits.

Agriculture in Saint Lucia

2008-07-12T03:36:00.006-06:00

My Buddy Donni a fellow Hoosier Peace Corps Volunteer gave me some straight talk info on Agriculture in Saint Lucia to help me prepare for my interview with the Gates Foundation. I hope you find it as interesting, open and frank as I did.

Country,

Sorry, I've been a bit unmindful of my offer to send you some briefing notes for your interview with the Gates Foundation. If I remember correctly, you flew out today, so hopefully this doesn't come entirely too late.

Recent history for St. Lucian agriculture has been the WTO ruling against preferential trading with the UK that occurred in 1997. Many livelihood were destroyed in St. Lucia as farmers were unfamiliar with planting other marketable crops (seeing as dasheen, breadfruit, and green figs don't sell at a high price). Many farmers moved to Martinique to work on banana farms their, which had maintain preferential trading with France, as it is a French territory. It also means that people can get paid in Euros. If I understand correctly, basically people can go and work for two weeks at a time and that's it, so it prevents massive migration, but it still common even now for people to go to Martinique to work.

In 2000, the National Fair Trade Organization started and has slowly incorporated almost all banana farmers into its auspices around the island. They export bananas to the UK (I believe exclusively, though that's not a requirement) as a fair trade brand. The premium that is paid by customers for the fair trade bananas from St. Lucia is then put into a fund for social projects, which in Dennery has included a computer lab for a primary school, support for the community centre I've worked on, an autoclave for the Dennery hospital to sterilize their medical tools, etc. Farmers are involved in making the decisions as to which projects to support. Additionally, farmers have to comply with some environmental restrictions like the reduction and limited use of pesticides, not planting next to rivers to prevent chemical runoff. And some health requirements, all farms now have pit toilets.

It's difficult to diversify crops in St. Lucia for two main reasons: first, it's expensive. To grow other crops profitably, farmers need the significant capital to pay for the sowing, harvesting, and distribution, while also daily living expenses before being able to recoup their money with successful sales (which is obviously no guarantee). Bananas provide regular income, every two weeks, while all other crops basically require waiting for several months for a payday. Also, because of the rainy and dry seasons having a greenhouse is a significant advantage in terms of avoiding some natural gluts and gaps in the market caused by weather. Setting up a greenhouse is relatively cheap, since it is pvc and plastic sheets, though the sheets ware out because of the intense sunshine and need to be replaced every few years and must be imported from Miami or somewhere else. Most farmers don't have enough saving to invest in a greenhouse. Which leads to the second reason: people are resistant to change. Much of this is clearly linked to a lack of education, whether it is in regard to farmer techniques, financial management, or understanding the market. If one farmer is successful in trying something new, others will follow. But their is significant personal financial requirements to going it alone and some social pressure to avoid any sort of public failure in small, rural communities. All of this contributes to slow changes.

Markets are available. Large luxury hotels continue to import many crops that could be grown locally, if a stable supply chain could be established. But the pushing and tugging and investment in teaching and explanation involved upfront is usually more than any one individual in the Ministry of Agriculture seems can accomplishing. As an example of group think, no risk mentality, is the regular glut of tomatoes on the market in St. Lucia. Everyone seems plant at the same time, driving down the prices of tomatoes, which is provided in a constant supply, would provide a better price to all sellers. But the coordination is extremely challenging. Even Fair Trade is often just tolerated by farmers because it's the only game in town. I've heard several farmers complain about the reduction in the use of chemicals and how that affects their yields, plus the sentiment that the leaders of fair trade are just their for themselves. It's rather astonishing.

I think you should also talk about the youth and how adverse they are to farm work, because it's seen as backwards and poor, even though if they worked wisely, one could make a very comfortable living farming.

Also, probably good to know, is that all of the major banana producing areas produced sugar cane into the 50s and 60s, when it shifted entirely to bananas. Land redistribution programs away from the large sugar estates has meant that most people have access to land, often around 3 acres. Few have more than that. In the 80s, bananas were sold very profitably and were referred to as green gold. This period is responsible for much of the deforestation that has dried up the east side of the island. People began squatting, buying, and farming on the hillsides, slashing much needed forest. The forest reserve in the center of St. Lucia was established in the 1940s, I believe, when the population of the island was only 50,000, less than one-third of what it is now. So, with the boom in population, the current forest reserve is insufficient for all of the various water needs, especially better irrigation to permit the growth of the agricultural sector.

alright bro, hope that can be of service. I'm traveling back to Goshen tomorrow, so I won't have email.

good luck!

Lando

--
"The ideals which have lighted my way, and time after time have given me new courage to face life cheerfully, have been kindness, beauty, and truth." ~Albert Einstein

Toshihara from Japan International Cooperation Agency Visits Canabelle Soap

2008-07-05T05:12:00.003-06:00

I had the pleasure of meeting Toshihara-san at the Anse La Raye Fish Fry where I was introduced to him by "BIG DOG" Nick Klinger my compadre and fellow Peace Corps chum. Nick is working in that fishing village on some great projects which include a School Saving Cooperative and an organized Fish Fry Vendors Association. (props to Nick for getting 50 very independent women to work together to help each other).

The ladies demonstrating.

Toshihara is an experienced development and capacity builder in the development world, his specialty is Fish Marketing and Development. Currently the Japanese government has agreed to install a massive fishing complex in Anse La Raye that will dramatically change and improve the lives of its residents. With all of his experience I had to invite him down to visit Anse La Raye's sister village Canaries to see the soap making process and to advise in a few critical areas we are struggling in, mainly a distribution system.

Toshihara generously agreed to visit bringing down Mr Ferrai from from the fisheries who covers the Anse La Raye and Canaries area.

We demonstrated the soap making process to both of them, having them take a hands on approach as you can see below.

Toshihara taking a hands on approach to soap making.

Mr. Ferrari cutting the soap.

The soap being poured into the new molds.

Toshihara generously agreed to keep his eye out for us as we seek to develop the co-op I was not able to get a commitment from Mr. Ferrari, it was more a "This is great project, good luck." After some pushing he did agree to keep his eyes open for us. This is not unique, honestly, it has been the approach of many of the ministries in Saint Lucia. We still have yet to have a visit from our parliamentary representative who has been in office for over a year and a half nor has anyone visited from the Ministry of Agriculture despite our pushing and phone calls, sad or as it is said here. Salop! I think it is more of a matter of finding the right ministry person who takes on Canabelle as their personal mission recognizing the incredible employment opportunity and income generating potential it has. Until then our fund raising successes to build infrastructure and capacity will remain with the generous business community on the island which includes.

Cable and Wireless
Ladera Resort
The British High Commission in Saint Lucia
The Distillery

Me and the ladies.

Me and Deterville the President of Canabelle Soap.

Rabbit Project Update and Recipe to make your own Rabbit Feed.

2008-07-01T10:10:00.002-06:00

Here are few video updates on the rabbit project.

A brand new brood of rabbits.

New Baby Bunnies.

Alternative food in the backyard.

PS when I commented on the small orange trees I am NOT suggesting you use them for feed. Basic rule of thumb, feed rabbits what horses and cows eat since their digestive requirments more closely relate to them.

With the rising costs of rabbit feed here is an easy recipe to dramatically cut back on your costs, you can easily substitute ingredients based on your area.

Rabbit Feed Recipe http://pan-am.uniserve.com/pg000062.htm original link to Pan-am.

Here's a rabbit feed to make at home, that the rabbits will really enjoy:

Ingredients:: 400 g Chopped alfalfa/lucerne hay or cubes, or any other grass or clover hay; 150 g All-purpose wheat flour (white) or instant masa meal; 100 g any other fibrous ingredient, such as bran from wheat, oat hulls, rolled oats.; Plain or Trace Mineral salt; Water; optional - 1:1 mineral, vegetable oil, molasses.

Using a sawing motion with a cleaver, cut lucerne (alfalfa) hay across the stems to 1 to 2 cm length. If using alfalfa cubes, the material inside is already chopped, just soften cubes in the liquid part of the recipe.

Measure 300 ml water, to this add 45 g molasses, 2 g salt, and 8 g oil, if you are using these extra ingredients. Mix this solution thoroughly.

Put 400 g chopped hay in large bowl. While turning the hay with your hands, slowly add the liquid and 1:1 mineral, mixing thoroughly. Break up any clumps. Squeeze the hay tightly a couple times to make the liquid soak in.

Add the other fibrous ingredient to the wet hay, mixing well.

Then add the flour, in about 5 additions while mixing by hand. Mix until all the flour is invisible. Press down on the mixture, if it comes back up much, you may need maybe 50 ml more water, depends on dryness of hay.

Press the mixture into a flat glass or pottery pan. If possible, press it flat with another pan that fits in the lower pan. The final thickness should be 4 or 5 cm thick.

Place pan with hay mixture in microwave oven and bake for 2.5 minutes at power level 8 in a 700 watt oven. After backing, turn the feed out onto a rack to cool. Break into chunks to put into the cages. In hot climates, the feed can be sun-baked.

There is very little waste from this feed. This recipe makes almost 1 kg of feed, but remember that this is "wet" feed, the normal as-fed air dry weight is the sum of the ingredients less the water, about 635 g.

With average alfalfa, the results on DM would be about CP= 16.6%, TDN= 68%, Ca= 0.9%, P= 0.48%, ADF= 20%, CF= 17.9%. The flour used is (air-dry basis) CP= 13%, carbohydrates= 71%.

If you wish to have a protein supplement, substitute some soya milk for some of the water, or use some soy flour or pea flour. Pea flour also adds starch, so reduce the amount of wheat flour. Other interesting feed mixes can be made using barley flour or corn (masa) flour.

Yes, this feed is using wheat flour, which should be reserved for human consumption, but for now this is the easiest milled grain to obtain that is ground finely enough for rabbits (100% passing 0.3 mm sieve, 40% passing 0.1 mm sieve).

Don't use "whole wheat" flour, the bran has been ground too fine. You may add whole bran separately along with the white flour; bran has an appropriate particle size for the rabbit.

Burning Saint Lucia's Rain Forests and Hills for Charcoal

2008-06-28T09:55:00.004-06:00

Here is a excellent photo I took as I was heading up a valley hill for a site visit to Anse La Verdue to visit one of the rabbit project sites. You can see the charcoal making pit here, notice how much of the surrounding vegetation was stripped to make this charcoal.

With the downturn of the economy and escalating food prices people are turning back to stripping the rain forest and valleys of Saint Lucia for small trees and brush to create charcoal. The charcoal is used for home cooking and is extremely popular for barbecuing and use with traditional coal pot cooking.

A good Charcoal burn can earn someone 1200-1500 EC. Compare that to working 6 days a week at one of the resorts where your take home pay is only 1300-1500 EC a month and you can see why this can be a lucrative alternative income. Ladera Resort would be an exception to this with them treating and paying their employees well, in fact Ladera employs Saint Lucian's in top management positions, an example I wish other resorts would follow more often.

Here you can see Mango season in in full effect with delicious mangoes dropping to the ground to rot.

A view of the Charcoal burning pits from the other side of the valley.

Long term the effects of stripping the rain forest and hills of trees and low laying vegetation is increased flooding, landslides and erosion. The other effect in this stripping is the removal of a natural filtration system for the rain. Most villages take their water supplies directly from the waterfalls. The dense forest material acts as a natural filtration system removing pollution and other elements. To make matters worse the rain is picking up the charcoal residue from the pits and clearings adding that to the drinking water. Playing the devils advocate, charcoal is commonly used for filtration so whether this is harmful to the drinking water is unknown.

I have noticed a DRAMATIC increase in the charcoal burning since the oil and food prices has skyrocketed. If you drive from the capitol Castries down the west side of the island to Soufriere you will see some of the burning pits are next to the road, I know of six that can be seen.

We also have charcoal burning happening in the Canaries Rain Forest now, typically a one acre area is cut down and stripped to the bare earth with the large and small trees and brushwood being burnt slowly in smoldering dirt pits for charcoal. Afterwards dasheen/taro is planted for two seasons until the soil is stripped of its minerals and the rain forest grows back recapturing the land until it is stripped again. It used to only occur in a few instances but not I can count at least 8 new areas where this is happening in Canaries Rain Forest valley.

Here is a shot in the rain forest of an area cleared for charcoal and dasheen/taro planting.

A good shot facing into the rain forest hill.

Here is another area that has been stripped, you can see the charcoal pit below.

Take notice of the bags of charcoal ready to be picked up to be sold in the villages and Castries.

A pristine shot of the rain forest as a reminder of the precious resource that it is.

I am neutral on judging anyone on this, I just want to show the reality of what is happening.

It all goes back to economics.

Peace Corps Online Resource Drive through Skydrive.

2008-06-22T12:31:00.003-06:00

After a lot of discussion with Landon, Nick, Aaron and myself about the lack of ability to share our work with other PCV's I have taken the initiative to set up a Skydrive account through Microsoft. Ps Thank you Microsoft!

http://skydrive.live.com/

The purpose is so that we can maintain some sort of institutional memory for all Peace Corps Volunteers that work in Saint Lucia. This will allow us to share valuable materials and experiences to help volunteers so they do not have to reinvent the wheel with some of their work. Each volunteer will be able to create a folder to store documents they would like to share with other PCV's. For example:

School lesson plans
Brochures made for community events, street parties and special events
Presentations
Proposals
Summaries of your work experience. (Description of Service Statements)
Contact Lists
Funding Agencies

The Skydrive account is island specific because we have to limit the amount of people who have access and we only have 5GB of storage. Were going to test it for a while to see if it proves to be the incredible tool we think it will be.

I am hopeful that this idea can spread throughout Peace Corps so their is more continuity between volunteers. Skydrive will allow knowledge and experience to be shared to make us all more productive and efficient. It makes perfect sense especially when you consider how much Peace Corps stresses knowledge and skills transfer to the people we work with. It is the logical next step to make it possible for that to happen volunteer to volunteer.

All my best,
Leo

Ladera Resort has donated $10,000EC to Creole Pot and Canabelle Soap

2008-06-05T08:55:00.002-06:00

Success! Canabelle is receiving $7000 which will be used for infrastructure purchases to improve the soap making process.

Soap Making Demonstration for Ladera Resort and Father Raj.

A part of that money is being used now to fix the toilet and provide running water, one of the requirements to receive licensing from the Saint Lucia Bureau of Standards. When this is accomplished one of their officers will come down for an inspection. Upon certification Super J/Juliens the largest grocery chain on the island says they will carry the soap. This is huge..thank you again Ladera. We also hope to begin working with Ladera to produce a smaller soap for their guests that will be the same price equivalent of their current guest soap. We plan to improve it by offering a special recipe designed by them using their choice of natural ingredient's like glory cedar, hibiscus flower, and aloe. It would also have the hotels logo on it. This would be a huge step towards working with all the hotels to turn Canabelle into a major income and employment generator for Canaries village.

Here are videos and pictures of the demonstration and tour of Canabelle Soap that we provided for Eustace from Ladera, Father Raj the Parish Priest, and our Community Development Officer Mahal.

Peppermint being added during the mixing stage. See Father Raj and Mahal our new Community Development Officer for the area.

Tina and Halley Cheering on the demonstration.

Soap being poured into a mold to dry. See Eustace from Ladera on the right side.

Cyrillia cutting the soap with a hand scraper.

Demonstration of Soap Cutting Process Step One

Demonstration of Soap Cutting Process Step Two

Final Step, assembling the soap boxes.

Creole Pot also received $4000EC from Ladera this will be used to purchase tables and chairs for the street party following one of the major recommendations of Ti Kaye resort to improve the event so guests can participate.

I am currently working with Mrs Edwards to organize a thank you reception for Ladera and its staff at Moon River. We will be inviting out local rep, supporters and media down for this event with the hope of giving Ladera press for their charity. We also hope to get media exposure for Creole Pot and Canabelle and the Moon River reception grounds in Canaries.

For me, this is cherry on top of an amazing Peace Corps experience. Thank you to all the people that have made this possible. Thank you Mr Hooper, Eustace and Tina for your help on this!

Canaries Kids Art Camp

2008-06-02T11:08:00.003-06:00

I let this post slip by, it was one of the more enjoyable events that I helped facilitate. I had the pleasure of having Nick Klinger aka (Big Dog) and Megan Hawks aka(KANSAS) and her friend help us.

A group shot with everyone. (click on any pictures to enlarge them)

Basically the National Insurance Corporation of Saint Lucia has a community development branch called the National Community Development Foundation that provides some funding for supplies and 4-5 staff to help put on a training camp for the youth of selected villages through the summer one week at time. The goal is to provide training in the arts and foster the development of analytical skills through the game of chess.

It was a wonderful, stressful, fun, stretching experience. (did I mention I am terrified of little kids)

The Kids with Nick's paper airplane competition.

A shot with me and Big Dog with all the children.

Nick doing paper mache with the kids.

A video of me embarrassing myself trying to teach the kids a camp song called, "Little Bunny in the Woods".

Big Rabbit Hopping, yeah I am terrible with camp songs. Favorite line "Pet your big rabbit!".

Nick doing the Sponge Bob Square Pants Song, see those natural, great parenting skills Emily, good stock. Marcy, sorry baby you have a lot of work ahead of you:)

Elmers Glue in the eye, now before anyone says this is cruel:) I was just recording to show them making paper mache and a gust of wind came along.

The Children learning to play chess.

Video of Nick doing a paper airplane competition.

Hawks helping them paint the school wall.

Popsicle stick picture frames, using beans, glitter, crayons, you name it.

Video of the Girls painting and placing beans on their Popsicle sticks.

The boys learning to share.

Who is that little girl on my head :)

A well deserved nap after a week of children, and I told Marcy I want to have 3 kids some day, I must be crazy! :)

The Canaries UK Association "Doing so much for Canries Village".

2008-06-01T12:05:00.011-06:00

The Canaries UK group is the HARDEST working development group I have met and that is a tremendous compliment.

They have been helping Canaries for over a decade now, I shot some videos of them working and interviewed some of the members with the goal of showing Canaries the great labor and passion they have for their village while living in England. This all took place at the fund raiser dance for Canaries called, "St. Lucia vs Dominica DJ Sound Off".

Simon, Norma Jude(Ass. Sec), Bernie St. Omer (Trustee) and Olicia Jn Charles ( PRO) thats from L-R..

Greenage's Message to Canaries

Uril's Message to Canaries

The event was held at a school with members collecting door fees in the front and other working in the back serving food and drinks. It was an amazing event put together with professionalism and planning that is to be admired.

Working hard behind the counter.

A packed dance hall.

Lia working hard pouring those drinks
Greenage

A video of the Canaries UK Group in action working hard behind the counter.

Simon on organizing the event.

Mike asking me if I need a tasty beverage.
The Canaries UK Association set up demonstration table to show Canabelle Soap.

One of the great Patriarchs of the Canaries UK Association, Contance Mathurin (Simon's brother-in-law).

Simon's Message on the UK Group Working Hard.

Marcy and Mike showing their Saint Lucia pride.

I get the flag and Marcy as my soon to be wife, who could ask for more :)

The two Patriarchs. (Contance Mathurin with Leo Albert)

Simon's Message from the Association to Canaries

Rabbit Project Success!

2008-05-27T08:44:00.000-06:00

I am proud to show two villagers who I have helped start their own rabbit farms. Genie who is Marcies cousin, is a single mother living in Anse La Verdue raising her son Leo, she works in house keeping at the local resort.

Here she is proudly displaying her rabbit hutches, she has a third small hutch on the backside that you cannot see. I have been working with her donating my rabbits and giving her advice as she raised her rabbits, we have had our ups and downs. We struggled with ear infections, and sterile rabbits to her now successfully raising her own healthy rabbits.

(a proud mother)

Next we have Ison who has completed his hutch and is raising rabbits. He is doing well and he will pass this on to the other people in Anse La Verdue. His location is very difficult as you can see the path I took below to reach his house which is through a steep valley.

Here is his family's new rabbit hutch just below his house where it has plenty of shade to keep the rabbits cool.

Here is short video showing the completed hutch.

Completed Hutch

Final Interview with Ison

Harrogate with the Laubers

2008-05-21T14:40:00.007-06:00

Me and Marcy had a wonderful time visiting the Laubers in lovely Harrogate, England,

Laubers seeing us off!

Slideshow below:

Everything was lovely from the charming Harrogate downtown area, the countryside with the mustard fields of yellow, sheep, low hand stacked stone walls for the fields to the wonderful company of the Lauber family and the sharing of their home.

They have a lovely home with brilliant garden that makes you forget the neighbors and enjoy hearing the birds, just make sure you have life insurance for the stray golf ball :)

Bill thanks for the cells and the great beer and stories, Marisa for your lovely company and hospitality (your house is not to small and the bed was great, and no we could not possibly eat another pancake and I am still finishing this beer :)), Neil I hope you come to America, you will love it, Kira thanks for making breakfast and coming down to see me and Marcy! You are all lovely!

All our best!

Leo and Marcy

England Slideshow in May

2008-05-16T06:04:00.001-06:00

Hey All,

I thought it was time to give an update on my life in England for the past two weeks.
I am going to use Google Presentation which is another wonderful free application.

Will be going to Willy BoBo this weekend to see Marisa and everyone else. I will be driving for the first time in England on the wrong side of the road in a compact mini car where the speeds are 70mph minimum for four hrs one way, it should be a blast.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=788883617058861702,52.183400,-0.891190%3B14299033404635971044,53.454944,-1.445313&saddr=London+City+Airport,+United+Kingdom&daddr=M1+%4052.183400,+-0.891190+to:M1+%4053.454944,+-1.445313+to:53.81849,-1.540146+to:22+Norwood+Grove,+HG3+2XL+Harrogate,+North+Yorkshire&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=3&sz=11&via=1,2,3&sll=53.785238,-1.433716&sspn=0.255983,0.687332&ie=UTF8&ll=53.944771,-1.452942&spn=0.255008,0.687332&z=11

Purdue Alumni Article on my work in the Caribbean.

2008-05-15T05:43:00.003-06:00

See the article below, here is the direct link. Thanks Professor Smith for your help! http://www.tech.purdue.edu/E-Newsletter/CoTnewsL_031708.htm

Alumni News

Lee Klejnot, OLS ’05, is working with the Peace Corps in the eastern Caribbean on the island of St. Lucia. Some of his recent work has included developing a local Creole tourism product to provide economic activity for the fishing village of Canaries in preparation for the 20,000 tourists expected for the Cricket World Cup. Other projects include working with the Anse La Liberte Sea Turtle Sanctuary and the St. Lucia National Trust to develop the 133-acre preserve near Canaries into a sea turtle sanctuary and bungalows of eco-tourism; the Canabelle Soap Co-op to help unemployed women produce all-natural soap; renovating an old church to turn the building into a craft and gift market; and the Rabbit Project, which provides training, rabbits and supplies to boost the income of the poorest families in the village. Find out more about his work at http://bigcountryleo.blogspot.com/

England...

2008-05-12T15:43:00.001-06:00

New Landline Skype Numbers

2008-05-08T10:02:00.002-06:00

Here are two numbers for people in the US and the UK to call me. The US number is a DC area code and the UK number is a Southwark number. This should make it affordable for people to reach me.

(703) 350-4712 United States
020 8123 3054 United Kingdom

Chef Orlando on Caribbean Herbs for Cooking

2008-05-01T05:39:00.002-06:00

3 main herbs used for Caribbean cooking never forgetting the secret fourth ingredient, love.

Chef Orlando and his new herb garden my Aunt Tina installed while visiting me.

UK Cell Number

2008-04-30T09:21:00.001-06:00

Hello All,

I will be in the UK with Marcy until May 27th and then I will return to Saint Lucia. My close of service date for Peace Corps is August 15th, we will be sticking around for maybe a week or so after that.

Here is my UK cell number you can reach me at 011-44-795-696-8565, remember we are 5 hours ahead of the US and Saint Lucia.

Rabbit Hutch Frame Complete

2008-04-29T07:20:00.006-06:00

Hello Everyone,

The Rabbit Project is moving along nicely. We were able to gather the hutch frame materials through donations from village leaders. I was able to provide the quarter inch wire for the bottom of the cage and the chicken wire for the sides from donations from friends and family back in the states. I am really impressed with Ison, we are basing the design of Isons hutch of off Sebastian, he was able to build the exact same frame from memory without using measurements or a drawing. Ison also used all of the wood material with only one piece of 3ft 2x2 treated wood left over. He certainly has talent and skill, the frame is constructed from 15 12ft 2x2 treated wood pieces and 2 2x2 treated 15ft wood pieces.

Me and Ison talking about the Project:

Ison talking about his hopes for the Rabbits:

Pictures of the frame:

Isons home with his mother, brothers and sisters:

All that is left to construct the cage is installing the wire, sheet metal roof, legs for the hutch from local wood, and latches and hinges for the doors. I will be back in Saint Lucia on the 27th and will provide updates on the final construction then.

I would like to thank the following people from the village for their donation of time and money.

Press Scott
Spring
Surprise
Mr Jon Baptiste
Agatha and Gary
Andre
Sebastian

and not to forget
Joe
Daniel
Tina
Laura
and anyone else I forgot to mention.

Chef Orlando on Poverty in Saint Lucia

2008-04-28T08:00:00.000-06:00

I was visiting with Chef Orlando one of the best chefs in the Caribbean and he gave me his take on poverty in Saint Lucia and the Caribbean.

Canabelle Soap Co-op Featured in the Star News Paper!

2008-04-25T17:45:00.007-06:00

Canabelle Received a big write up in the Star thanks to Kayra Williams who braved public transport from Castries all the way to Soufriere and then to Canaries to interview the Co-op. Here is the link to the full article below.

http://www.stluciastar.com/NewsHome/Features/tabid/386/newsid899/3713/Default.aspx

Below is the basic text of the Article:

The Canabelle Women of Canaries

By Kayra Williams

A trip to Canaries is incomplete without visiting Spring’s Bread to take home the tastiest bread on the island or dropping by Plas Kassav to find scrumptious flavoured cassava or even lend a hand in the cassava making process. For most, the knowledge of the village is limited to its roadside scenery. Most of the premier attractions of Canaries are on the outskirts. The rest of Canaries is by-passed by most en route to Soufriere or other locations.

A new industry might just give people a reason to make Canaries their number one spot and at the same time, boost the community’s tourism product. Canabelle Cooperative Society Ltd is taking the best of St Lucia and putting it into their handmade soap products. The new company boasts all natural and handmade soaps made with 100 percent soya oil, coconut olive oil, sunflower oil, natural local herbs and vitamin E.

The soap making initiative started seven years ago with a now non-existent organization—SL Rep, St Lucia Rural Enterprises Project—and originally began with 20 women from Canaries. The project’s intention was to reduce the unemployment rate in Canaries, presently one of the highest on the island.

Gregory Deterville president of the Canabelle Cooperative told the STAR some of the women from the project had "fallen by the wayside." The numbers had dwindled from 20 to 10 only a year ago. Now only six ladies remained. The women told the STAR others left because nothing was happening. They did their work voluntary and knew they wouldn’t get paid until the company began flourishing.

Despite that, they persevered primarily because they wanted to see change in Canaries. "We don’t want Cannabelle to go down," said one worker. "We’re here voluntarily, we all have families. We’re here sacrificing our time coming here to help form a product that may one day help generate income in Canaries."

The first home of Canabelle, the Canaries Community Center was deemed inadequate because workers couldn’t stay there for long periods of time and would frequently be kicked out when meetings needed to be held. Today, Canabelle’s producing takes places at the Old Church in Canaries which was badly in need of repair.

But it was clear that a lot of work had been done; the structure was a far cry from the dilapidated building they’d initially used. They’d cleaned up and even replaced the massive doors that had once been dryrot. It wasn’t much but they didn’t have to pay to use the building. Leo Klejnot, a US Peace Corps volunteer from Indiana on a two-year assignment to help develop Canaries, was working with Canabelle to raise funds and market the product.

He spoke highly of the ladies who were the heart and soul of the product. "This is how all good things start; you have to have faith, vision and it takes courage," he said. "That’s what these ladies have. They’ve been doing this for seven years; it’s about time things started falling in place. I really hope the government starts backing this project.

There is a need for more manufacturing in St Lucia." One hotel in the south had already stepped up not only to sponsor Canabelle, but also to distribute their soap to hotel guests. Ladera Resort was present at Canabelle’s launch on Thursday.

"We’re going to create a product that will be tailor made for them," said Klejnot. "A smaller soap that can be given to tourists in the hotel." Plans are already in the pipelines to start marketing the Canabelle product to other hotels. Canabelle’s president hoped the venture would bring tourists into the community to visit Canabelle, see the soap making process and of course, purchase their product.

"We’re hoping to receive some more assistance to enhance our product and that our production and soap will make some headway not only in St Lucia but abroad." said Deterville. Both Klejnot and Deterville spoke of plans to renovate the building and later, transform part of it into a craft market. "If tourists are going to come in to see the soap making process, we might as well have other items being sold; local craft. This is a good project and if it takes off, this will assist with the unemployment crisis in Canaries," said Klejnot.

The ladies––Cyrilia Alfred, Margaret Sydney, Gertrude Monrose, Theresa Prospere, Helen Charles and Aisha St John––were an effective marketing team for Canabelle Soap. They all used the soap and said the natural oils kept their skin young. After seeing the glow on their exuberant faces, it was impossible to doubt the product’s effectiveness. They guaranteed that anyone who used it would see a difference in their skin and said even babies could use their mild soap.

Canabelle’s Aloe Vera/ Cucumber soap could be used to reduce the appearance of fine lines around the eyes and on the face. Sulphur, to treat and prevent liver spots and rash; Oatmeal to keep skin smooth and healthy and Glory Cedar to improve skin appearance while treating eczema, rash and also insect bites. Their Aloe and oat soap was clinically proven to treat acne, eczema, insect bites and keep skin smooth. Plain aloe soap was also available. Their Sulphur and Aloe Vera soap was best for insect bites, acne, rash, dry skin, burnsand was also a great moisturizer. Other varieties included Hibiscus, tea tree/mint, cinnamon and nutmeg.

All printing and packaging was done at Canabelle. Single soaps cost $6 and their twin pack gift packs cost $12. Bulk prices were also available. Outlets for Canabelle soap include, M& C Drug Store, Pharmacy 2000, Clarke’s drug store, Island pharmacy, People Discount Drugs and Alexis Drugs Store.
Caption:Canaries has a high rate of unemployment and these women are trying to change that.

The Official Wedding Invitation

2008-04-15T14:55:00.006-06:00

We did it in a Postcard Format, below is the front side and the second image is the backside. It was created in Photoshop and Publisher. We will be emailing it to anyone who have email to save on printing costs. The folks still using the coconut telegraph will get one mailed to them. Click on the image to enlarge, you can also take the image and save it if you need to print it.

See everyone soon!

Canabelle Soap is Growing

2008-04-15T13:03:00.012-06:00

A short Video from my Director Sharmon Jules talking about Canabelle Soap Co-op.

Canabelle continues to grow exceeding all my expectations.

Video of the ladies assembling the boxes.

My Peace Corps Island Director Sharmon Jules came for a site visit today. She seemed truly impressed at the work we have accomplished with Canabelle Soap.

The Co-op is fully producing soap and is actually building up an inventory, a first for the Co-op.

Here is a shot showing them using natural herbs collected from the Canaries rain forest to produce the soap.

The raw herbs:

Deterville working away in the office:

A small display for visitors:

They have been taking my suggestion with packaging and production improving the presentation and variety. Here is a sample of a new double pack that is truly lovely, we are continuing to work on a smaller soap for the hotels a key step in the development plan we have written.

Here is a picture of a new soap mold that should improve the size and shape of the soaps making them more consistent.

Thursday is an exciting day with one of Conde' Nast Top Caribbean Hotels Ladera. They are coming for a site visit to Canabelle. I was able to speak to the owner of Ladera Mr. Hooper and he was interested in funding a few projects in Canaries. (thanks Aunt Tina) A community funding committee is coming down to see the operation first hand, they will be considering funding for us to help with infrastructure purchases and training.

We also hope that they can become our first major hotel customer, if we can supply soap for Ladera's guests we will be providing full time employment for 6 people and part time employment for four other women.

They will also hopefully be providing some funding to Creole Pot so we can purchase tables and chairs. We are also seeking help from Cable and Wireless the local phone and internet company, were asking them to sponsor our internet and phone line costs for one year.

If all these things fall into place Canabelle will be set to become a major employment generating area for a village that suffers the highest unemployment rate in Saint Lucia.

Landscape Designers Visual Resume

2008-04-14T12:36:00.003-06:00

Hello All,

Please take a look at my Aunt Tina's new blog at http://islandscapestina.blogspot.com

This will become a new trend especially in fields where your work can be captured in before after stages that you find in any career that involves design.

This is an incredibly useful tool for job seekers and companies alike, a way to really see the personality of the person through their writing and recording. It also documents their work and it is for the entire world to see.

I gave Tina a crash course on working with HTML and she is now producing a beautiful visual resume that will always be there. Thank you Google people. Enjoy it.

Wedding and Life Update

2008-04-13T12:43:00.008-06:00

Wedding planning can take the joy out of the wedding especially when you are a broke Peace Corps volunteer.

The wedding is going to be amazing, it has just been challenging to figure out all the way to work with a limited budget for this special occasion. I have just finished the wedding invitation, Marcy is looking it over today for final approval before we begin sending it out.

I am truly thankful for all the friends that I have coming down who are taking time away from their lives to share this special moment with me and Marcy. You really learn who your friends are when it costs them $700US each for their plane tickets just to get here. For me it was never a question in my mind as to whether they would come, my friends are the best people in the world.

Were are still going to have the wedding ceremony on the white sand beach everyone voted for, will be having the reception at Moon River at the Edwards place. It is a beautiful entertainment and banquet hall set on the side of the Canaries River before you begin you enter the rain forest.

VISA, VISA, VISA, that is our next challenge for me and Marcy. We have the choice of going to England or the US but we have a few rough spots. The VISA costs $1050US for England, that is not the most difficult part, Marcy has to show savings and employment for an amount of time to prove that she can support me in case I do not get a job. This is the governments view, the other most annoying part is the government will not provide the magic number for how much savings she must show or how many months employment. The US is not so bad, you apply and it takes a few months to be approved, it still costs over $800 with all costs. So Marcy is currently in England now hunting for a job so she can save up for the wedding for a few months. She will be returning in August for the wedding and then we head to England or the US depending on what we decide and what job opportunities become available. I leave this month on April 23nd and will be staying in England until May 27th to see how I like England since it is one of our options. Were blessed to have the option of going to two incredible nations.

Will be fine, its just busy.

Canabelle Soap Co-op has a New Home

2008-03-24T14:32:00.009-06:00

We have had some huge success and progress for one of main projects Canabelle Soap.

First we have successfully renovated the old Church enough that the building is now secure and has power.

Secondly Canabelle Soap has moved in and they have built their own office and production room.

Thirdly Canabelle has their own Computer, heavy duty printer, heavy blender and grinder.

Canabelle receiving the blender and grinder.

The ladies thanking Bonnie and Connie and their friends.

The new PC and you can just make out the new printer in the left corner.

Fourthly Hallie has been able to secure a meeting with Magic Coconut Oil to discuss purchasing oil in bulk to dramatically cut down on soap making costs.

Here is the President Deterville talking about the progress we have made.

We have a meeting on April 3rd with the Catholic Church, the local community group and the Basic Needs Trust Fund to look at the way forward for Canabelle and the old church building.

Missing Marcella

2008-03-24T07:49:00.017-06:00

Here are some pics of my fiancee Marcella. She is in England for 3 months, I will be visiting her in about 3 weeks to spend a month or so with her. I miss her and I wanted to throw some pictures up.

Balembouche Estate

Tina Carol and Marcy at Ladera

Micoud Beach

Rabbit Project is moving forward.

2008-03-21T07:41:00.007-06:00

Its been a while since I have provided an update on the Rabbit Project. The project stalled out for a while because I was unable to successfully raise newborn rabbits in the village. When they were born the mother would abandon them or kill them. I tried many things over the past 6-8 months as my costs in the project for rabbit feed continued to mount. My patience was exhausted at this point and I was arranging to give the hutch away and abandon the project. It was growing consensus that you cannot raise rabbits in the village because there is to much noise and stress ranging from children and cats to barking dogs. That is why the mothers were abandoning their babies.

Thankfully a young man named McClain came over to visit Marcie, he took a look at my rabbits as I told him my woes. When I pointed out the neighbors dog 15 feet away that barked continuously every night he suggested we move the entire hutch to the other side of the house as far away as possible from the dog, with my little yard that was only about 10ft. Little did I know that 10ft would made ALL the difference, my next litter of bunnies survived. I was ecstatic, I have had two more sets of rabbits born since with a rabbit from the first litter just giving birth to 10 babies of her own this week.

So the project is back on, I am currently working with a family from Anse La Verdue just above Canaries. The Canaries Community Club has identified this family as one of the poorest and most in need. The mothers husband died and she is raising 5 children with one of them being pregnant. She is Rastafarian so her diet is limited to starches and what can be gathered in the local area, they have no power and the house is the equivalent of a large wooden tool shed. One of her older sons Ison who is not a vegetarian is going to participate in the project to help earn some money for his family by selling the rabbits to other families and the Creole Pot food vendors. He is very passionate about learning this trade and he is quick to catch on and very intelligent. I have had him work with me caring for my rabbits to pass on the skills and I have taken him to Sebastian's farm to see a superior rabbit raising operation.

Below are some videos of Sebastian's farm and operation.

The farm and hutches:

Details on the Hutch designs:

Sebastian of Canaries, St. Lucia has the best hutch design I have seen on the island. The hutches are the proper size allowing free movement for the animals. He uses a heavy gauge wire that the rabbits cannot pull free compared to chicken wire. The hutch support beams are made of plastic or wrapped in metal to prevent rats. He also uses wire to attach the fresh veggies higher up so the rabbits get exercise. I would like to see how bamboo could be used to make hutches since it is an abundant free building material. I guess that is for the next Peace Corps volunteer.

Back to Ison; I am going to provide him the wire which is the most expensive cost for building a hutch, this wire was purchased with donations from friends and family back in the States along with the materials used to build the first rabbit hutch. I am going to give him a male and a female rabbit and Sebastian is going to give one of his rabbits to start this young mans business. As we speak I am writing fund raising letters to some of the Canaries leaders to raise some more funding for his starting feed costs(38EC per 50pd bag) and some 2x2 wood for the hutch frame. His family lives in the ideal spot for raising rabbits, they live in a quite area with lots of local plants that can be fed to rabbits. With a diet of old bread, banana leaves and other local veg and some fortified (special grain mix that contains extra vitamins and nutrients) you can raise healthy large rabbits with low costs.

One of the agreements is that after his operation is going if another family whats to start a project he will donate two rabbits to them for free and train them to continue the opportunity for other Saint Lucian's. This is modeled after the original heifer project that started in Saint Lucia 50 years ago with the first Peace Corps arriving and teaching farming skills. Cattle and animals were donated by churches in the US and Peace Corps volunteers trained local farmers making the same agreement of them giving the first calf to another farmer.

Freedom Sandals

2008-03-15T14:34:00.000-06:00

Another lovely story from my friend and guest writer Laura.

_{Freedom Sandals}

_By

_{Laura Adkins}

_{Sometimes it can take a while to know how a story ends or, in this case, lives on. It started with my lunge for freedom.}

_{I sat on the wooden parquet floor, leaning against the front door. It was my new apartment, with emphasis on “my.” It was a first floor garden view apartment, but the view was actually of the parking lot. I finished waxing the worn floor with furniture polish at 1 am, unaware of how slippery furniture polish is, when you walk on it. My shiny floor ended with me on my rear end and a close up view of my work. But, I laughed at my foible, intoxicated with my new found freedom and poverty; a woman alone, a lone woman. It was all good.}

_{I had just ended a two year affair with a film maker, moving out of his home while he was working in Central America. He was a kind, but sullen man, who said he loved me, but our bargain remained that I would pay his bills and manage his money while he was away, which was nearly 75 % of the time. In exchange for these services, I would live rent free. While he passive-aggressively agreed with my decision to leave, finding the right time for him was impossible. I had to make the right moment. I grabbed my daughters belongings, two suitcases, two avocado trees I had started from seed, a record player, and although it was November, I wore a pair of Indian sandals, which were deemed my “freedom sandals” by my soon-to-be new roommates.}

_{My big plan was to stop working for the first time since I was 16 and go to college. I now realized how much more I wanted in my life for my four year old daughter and myself. My plan meant I had to go on welfare and use food stamps. Nearly all of my friends were already college graduates, they had been married and divorced, had careers, bought and sold their first home, and not one had ever seen food stamps, nor had first hand knowledge of the welfare system.}

_{It wasn’t that I was late in achieving these milestones, I was just achieving them in a different order. I was starting college at 27, had already been married in Las Vegas at 22, and divorced in a matter of months. I also had a child and at least 10 jobs and no career, and I had never owned a home. It was exactly this dissimilar history that allowed me to share my new, two bedroom apartment with my successful, divorcing friends. The wife, a friend since I was 12, would stay in the other bedroom one week, and the husband the next. The other would stay in their home with their child. Supposedly, the one living with me would have nothing but fun, which spoke to their own experience in college, not the one I was about to start.}

_{Eventually I realized that her idea of “going it alone,” was not similar to my journey of self-discovery. Their divorce stayed on schedule, but their democratic plan to board with me only lasted through November. The holidays provided detours to their plan, and we amicably drifted apart as we each pursued our own goals.}

_{I really was alone now with my daughter and my plan, living just inside the beltway near Washington, DC, in a Virginia suburb. There was no family interested in my life, no one to turn to, and no one to help. I looked across the living room of my nearly empty apartment; a love seat, the phonograph on the floor, a fish tank with gold fish, a phone, and a second doorway to the central hallway of the building. To me, it was lovely, even if we were alone.}

_{I selected my apartment complex because it was within walking distance of the community college I wanted to attend. In fact, it is the very same college where Mrs. Joe Biden now teaches. I gradually learned there were a few other students in the building. I also became aware of the odd couple who lived next door to me, simply because they tried to be so invisible.}

_{The girl was tall and thin, with long blond hair, and I never heard her speak. Her partner was a man at least twice her age, perhaps forty. His dyed black hair was shoulder length, and his thin form was broad at the shoulders. We occasionally passed each other when going to the parking lot, or at the hallway mailboxes, but we never spoke. The man was always with her, silent in his directive to keep walking, don’t speak, and don’t look up. While it wasn’t unusual to hear people in the hallway and going to the laundry room, their apartment was quiet. I imagined that their living room must be dark, since their windows were exactly like mine, but the drapes were always drawn.}

_{It was soon December, and the new spring quarter didn’t start until march. I passed the frozen, Virginia winter months preparing for college; studying the lists of courses, finding daycare for my daughter, and learning how to use food stamps with minimal embarrassment. Without a car, I carefully scheduled any buying, getting, and taking of stuff to coincide with the occasional visits of my departed roommates. I also carefully chose my first classes, trying to leverage any knowledge I had learned in the real world, hoping to improve my chances at getting better grades. I had to succeed, there was no going backwards.}

_{I became familiar with the faces of my neighbors, and as the holidays passed, and February came and left, I realized that I had seen little of the young woman next door. The man seems to come and go on a regular schedule, and I imagined that he worked and she was no longer there. Then, one bright day in March she appeared, quietly walking ahead of him to their car. I had just returned from registering for my first college class, “Comparative Religions,” and wondered if she was taking classes, too. It was, after all, the most exciting decade of the century; the beginning of “women’s liberation,” civil rights demonstrations, and the height of the anti-war movement.}

_{I saw her again the following week as I returned home from class. She was opening her front door, when suddenly she was jerked back into her doorway from behind. The image haunted me for a few days. I imagined what would Gloria Steinum say, or do? I waited to hear something at night, but no disturbances or other clues to her existence appeared. Just as I decided to introduce myself the next time I saw them, I literally bumped into her leaving the laundry room, with the sullen man behind her. I was so surprised that I said nothing. After that, I would see little of her, usually leaving and returning with him in their car.}

_{March became July, and although I thought about the young woman from time to time, I was distracted with my own life, my daughter, and the joy of attending college. A bigger surprise was that I was dating again and the man was a card carrying member of NOW. I was also awakening to all the rich possibilities that could be available to me with an education. I had written my first “A” paper for my “Comparative Religions” class, entitled “The Changing Roles of Women in Christianity.” I had read 23 books to write the paper. I became aware of parallels between the women I was reading about and my own new life; women seeking their own lives, and each had their own kind of freedom sandals. Filled with self-congratulatory pride, I was framing my paper to hang on the wall, when a quiet, but constant knock came to my screen door.}

_{Looking at me through the door was the blond girl. She begged urgently and quietly, “please may I come in? May I? Can you hide me? Please?” She quickly came in and said “hide me, he mustn’t find me.” Within seconds, I had opened the door and we were standing in my bathroom, where she stepped into the tub. I closed the bathroom door behind us, as my daughter played with the running water from the faucet.}

_{“I have an airplane ticket home…waiting for me at American Airlines at National Airport. Can you take me to the airport? You have a car, I can pay you. I don’t have to leave until tonight, but if you let me stay until 8, we can run to the car when it gets dark.” I was stunned silent by a woman declaring her freedom plan. “She’s running for her life,” I thought. I didn’t ask questions. We just looked at each other.}

_{“Yes, alright, I can do that.” Something my mother would never have said, but Steinum would. “Then we should leave as soon as it’s dark?” I asked. “Shortly after 8 pm, but he’ll be looking for me, so I just need to wait here….in your shower,” she nearly whispered. “But, he also might see me, or us, and try to stop us.” We said nothing after that. I know we were each wondered what being caught would mean. Would she win? Would I help?}

_{I left the bathroom and she locked the door from within. I began to hang the framed paper again. I was fixing dinner for my daughter when the man came to my door. I walked to the door in my freedom sandals and opened the door calmly, wiping my hands on the dishcloth, and smiled.}

_{“Hey, hi, I live next door, have you seen the girl I live with? She isn’t home, did you see her leave?” he asked. Telling the truth, I answered, “no,” and I leaned toward the door as if looking out to the parking lot. He turned to look also, and we were both quiet. He then said, “Okay, well let me know if you see her today.” I mumbled, “uh huh.”}

_{I closed the door and sat down between the avocado trees on the floor to watch the sun go down. Within 30 minutes he left in his car. surprised, I jumped to my feet, running to the bathroom door to tell her he has left in his car, and we should make a run for it now! With my daughter’s hand in mine, I stood with the blond at the front door in the dark.}

_{“I’ll go first with my daughter to the car, and we’ll pull up to the building, then you get in the back seat and lie down on the floor,” I said. From the parking space to the door was the longest drive in my life. she seemed to walk in slow motion to the car. On the way to the airport, I learned very little about her. She talked about her phone call to her father, and how it took months to find the time to call. “I was never out of his sight,” she whispered. “He always, he always…..” she didn’t finish her sentence. “He” didn’t have a name.}

_{She now sat pensively in the back seat as we pulled up to the airline curb and she got out of the back seat. She turned around to thank me through the passenger side window. She had no luggage and no shoes. “I have to have shoes, I can’t go on the plane without shoes,” she said looking down at my feet, at my freedom sandals.}

_{I reached down and removed my shoes, explaining that I really want them back, but I knew I may never see them again, my $4.00 shoes. I didn’t know her name and I didn’t know where she is going, but I gave her my shoes through the window. She tried to give me money for gas and the shoes, but I told her, “No, I just want my freedom sandals back.”}

_{“Freedom sandals?” she asked, glancing over her shoulder nervously. I told that I, too, once had to leave in a hurry, and they were the only shoes I had when I left. “Now they’re your freedom sandals.” My daughter echoed, “freedom,” and together we watched her disappear through the door of the airport terminal. As I drove back to the apartment, my mind jumped back and forth from thinking about the man I would continue to live next door too, and my hope that my daughter would never need freedom sandals.}

_{Perhaps two weeks later, a narrow, brown package was wedged into my mailbox. As I tugged it outward, it flipped to the hallway floor. In that second, my remaining mysterious neighbor appeared for his mail. He gallantly bent down, scooping up package that held the last, tiny detail to his demise. Our eyes did not meet, but I thanked him with a nod of my head as he handed me the keys to her freedom.}

_{He moved in early fall, I started my 3rd quarter, and the shoes began to show their $4.00 price tag at the end of summer. I tucked them away with my summer clothes and lost track of them.}

_{35 years have passed, and I recently shared the story of the freedom sandals with a student I know, who was in an abusive relationship. Not only did she leave the relationship for her own new life, but, she read the story of the freedom sandals to her “Women’s Studies” class in her freshman year. The karma of the shoes lives on. Sometimes it can take a while to know how a story ends or, in this case, lives on.}

Taking Time off from my Peace Corps Projects to hang out with my Aunty

2008-03-09T15:58:00.009-06:00

My Auntie Tina is down again for another round of vacation as she rests from the off season of landscaping. I am taking some time off my projects to spend time with my Aunt to explore beautiful Saint Lucia. If you would like to read about my work you can scroll through the blog or search using a keyword, it also has a chronological history on the side.

Last year she came down with my Aunty Cass and they lived in Soufriere for about 3 months with friends and family coming to visit. This time Tina braved the wilds of St. Lucia and came down by herself with friends and family coming in for visits for 1-2 weeks at a time.

Once again we are out exploring Saint Lucia from a perspective of someone with resources.....as in a VEHICLE mainly! Peace Corps policy forbids the driving of boats, cars, basically anything with a combustion engine. Why? They say liability issues, personally I think it keeps us in our villages so we actually do our work, otherwise we would likely be making party trips to Castries every weekend.

So its time to post some videos and pics of the good times were having.

video of Zi playing on the beach.

Frostbite Cure

Pic at the Piton Heritage Site

Carol and Tina at Ladera for a gorgeous sunset and cocktails!